
U" 
^,. 



Ml: 



PRACTICAL 

BOAT-SAILING: 

^ Cancise anU .Simple treatise 



THE MANAGEMENT OF SMALL BOATS AND YACHTS UNDER 

ALL CONDITIONS, WITH EXPLANATORY CHAPTERS ON 

ORDINARY SEA-MANCEUVRES, AND THE USE OF 

SAILS, HELM, AND ANCHOR, AND ADVICE 

AS TO WHAT IS PROPER TO BE DONE 

IN DIFFERENT EMERGENCIES ; 

SUPPLEMENTED BY A SHORT 

VOCABULARY OF NAUTICAL TERMS. 



BY 

DOUGLAS FRAZAR, 

FORMERLY FOURTH OFFICER OF THE STEAMSHIP ATLANTIC 

MASTER OF THE BARK " MARYLAND," AND COMMAlftJER 

OF THE YACHT " FENIMORE COOPER*' IN THE 

'NORTHERN SEAS OF CHINA AND JAPAN, 






BOSTON: ^ * '^>- ''^^^ 



LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLIsklSM^^- 



NEW YORK: 

CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM. 

1879. 







Copyright, 
By lee & SH2PARD, 

1879. 



Ali rights reserved. 



PREFACE. 



This little -work is not written to teach any thing 
new to those who know how to sail boats well and 
safely, but only for the purpose of enabling any per- 
son, after a perusal of its pages, to feel confident of 
handling a boat so as to be perfectly safe, and to have 
some knowledge of the rules which should govern its 
movements under all conditions that might naturally 
arise. This sport is far less dangerous than is sup- 
posed ; and it may even be asserted that no kind of 
amusement is safer during the summer months in 
these latitudes, — many not as safe. Some one has 
truly said " that the boat is always under the perfect 
control, and subject to the will, of its master ; whilst 
in driving, for instance, one is dependent for life and 
limb upon the forbearance, good-temper, and training 
of a brute whose strength is greater than one's own, 
and whose over-vaunted intelligence is often exceeded 
by his obstinacy." 

It is simply wonderful what stress of wind and sea 
a small boat will sustain with perfect safety when 
properly managed. 



4 Preface. 

It IS hoped that the following pages will be suffi- 
cient to post all tyros in the technique of the science, 
and enable them to execute all the manoeuvres that 
are needful, and to know the names and uses of all 
the important ropes, sails, &c. ; so that they will not 
have to ask anybody any questions, and be able to 
"paddle their own canoe." 

If the author has succeeded in making himself 
understood, so that the student will feel competent 
to take charge of his own boat or yacht with confi- 
dence, he will be amply repaid. 

There is no doubt but what there may be a differ- 
ence of opinion amongst yachtsmen and boatmen as 
to the best manner of executing many sea-evolutions. 
The author has chosen those which have stood the 
test of time, and are comparatively simple, and easy 
of execution, fitted for small craft, and perfectly safe. 

Several useful hints have been gathered by an 
inspection of Bowditch's " Epitome " and Brady's 
" Kedge-Anchor." 

MOTHER GOOSE {slightly altered). 
*• Three wise men of Gotham 
Went to sea in a bowl : 
If their wits had been stronger, 
My song had been longer." 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 
The Model, Rig, and Names of the Sails and Ropes in Com- 



mon Use 



CHAPTER 11. . 
Ballast. — Useful Knots. — To anchor in a Gale of Wind.— 
Getting the Anchor, and Casting. — Anchoring for Fish- 
ing. — Grounding and Floating. — Warping by Means of 
an Anchor. — To make a Running Moor . . . .17 

CHAPTER III. 

The Helm and Rudder. — Sheets. — The Topping-Lift — 
Springing a Leak and the Use of the Pump. — Sailing 
"close-hauled," "by the wind," or "full and by." — To 
know when a Yacht is as near the Wind as she will lie. — 
Running free. — Before the Wind, or Scudding. — To ex- 
ecute a Pilot's Luff 35 

CHAPTER IV. 
Tacking. — Beating to Windward. — A Long and a Short 
Leg. — How to put a Yacht about. — How to distinguish 
the Starboard Tack from the Port Tack. —Jibing, or Wear- 
ing, — Dropping the Peak. — To beat to Windward in a 
Tide- Way. — To take in a Jib, and furl it. — To take in a 
Mainsail, and furl it. — To reef a Jib, or take off a Bonnet. 
— To clap one Reef in a Mainsail. — To cast out a Reef . 50 

5 



6 Contents. 

CHAPTER V. 

Signal-Lights. — The United-States Regulations for Steering 
and Sailing, and the Rules of the Road. — Fog-Signals. — 
Salutes. — Dipping Colors. — Coming alongside. — Quar- 
ter-deck Etiquette. — Useful Articles of Cabin Furniture. 
— Anchor Watch. — Method and System versus Disorder . 64 

CHAPTER VI. 

Cross-Bearings. — Two Examples. — Table of Proportional 
Distances. — Table for Determining the Distance that an 
Object at Sea can be seen in Statute Miles. — Determining 
Distance by the Flash of a Gun. — To find the Difference 
between the True and Apparent Direction of the Wind. — 
To find the Distance of an Obje::t on Shore from the 
Yacht, by two Bearings of the Compass, — Use of the 
Charts. — Soundings. — Lead Line. — Eight Bells, and 
Watch and Watch. — Boxing the Compass. — Velocity of 
the Wind. — The Log Reel and Half -minute Glass. — 
Buoys 76 

CHAPTER VIL 
Practical Hints on Boat-Sailing loi 

CHAPTER VIH. 
A Short Cruise with a Sloop- Yacht, illustrating the Common 
Sea-Manoeuvres . .... . . . . . 108 

CHAPTER IX. 
Vocabulary of Sea-Terms commonly in Use .... 124 



PRACTICAL BOAT-SAILING, 



CHAPTER I. 



THE MODEL, RIG, AND NAMES OF THE SAILS AND 
ROPES IN COMMON USE. 

> It would be beyond the province or scope of 
this work to enumerate all the different models and 
peculiarities of the numerous crafts and rigs that 
are used to navigate the waters, both in civihzed 
and uncivilized countries ; and we must content 
ourselves by taking into consideration a few of the 
most pronounced types that are now in vogue, and 
explaining their principles as briefly as possible. 

Local prejudices rule strong in all parts of the 
world ; and the rig, size, and model of a boat, 
are almost always defined by the " custom " of 
the waters in which it is to be sailed : still it is 
perhaps well to give a few general rules for the 
selection of a boat. For bays, sounds, harbors, 
and inland tidal waters connected with the sea, the 

7 



8 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

boat or small yacht should be of a shoal model, 
and what is termed the centre-board principle, and 
usually the sloop or cat-boat rig. 

For ponds, and small lakes of fresh water, the 
boat should always be of good beam, light draught, 
and small sail, on account of the frequency of puffs 
of winds from unexpected quarters from the neigh- 
boring hillsides. In fact, if there is any danger in 
sailing, it is upon these land-locked ponds or lakes, 
where more seamanship is often needed than on 
the larger bays and sounds of the ocean itself. 

For outside work, or in places where the tidal 
currents are strong, or the wind may sweep across 
the water for miles, " kicking up a sea," the deep 
keel model, with schooner or cutter rig, will be the 
better boat; this class being considered superior 
in working to windward in a heavy sea to the 
shoaler craft. But, even on this question, there are 
disagreements ; and you shall hear of those who 
maintain that the shoal-water centre-board craft is 
the better boat in a heavy sea-way; and some 
lovers of a craft called a " sharpie " tell startling 
tales of its endurance in heavy weather, although it 
is the shoalest of all shoal boats. The advantage 
of the centre-board boat over the keel boat for 
harbor and sound sailing, or wherever the tide rises 
and falls to any great extent, is obvious. With the 
latter, one is hable to be brought up upon an 
unknown sand-bank or ledge, and compelled to 



Model, Rig, and Names of Sails and Ropes. 9 

remain, sometimes for hours, till floated off"; whilst 
with the centre-board, upon touching any danger 
or shoal, the board is hauled up, and the boat that 
a moment before drew, perhaps, six feet of water, 
now draws but one foot, allowing one to "go 
about," or steer to one side, and avoid the obstacle, 
and get home in time for supper. In short, in the 
opinion of the writer, it is only for outside use, and 
for a larger class of vessels than this book will treat 
of, that the keel boat is needed. 

To avoid repetition, and to condense as much as 
possible, so as to be useful to all for practicable 
purposes, what is termed the sloop-rig — one quite 
as frequently used as any other for small boats — is 
presented in the accompanying diagram. This will 
be described as briefly as possible consistent with 
a thorough explanation of the sails, ropes, &c., and 
their different names and uses ; it being, of course, 
understood that the management of a sloop in a 
seamanlike manner carries with it the knowledge of 
managing a yacht of any rig, the principle applying 
equally to all ; and to describe the " staying," "wear- 
ing," and absolute management of each sail and rope 
of each separate rig, would be unnecessary, and 
extend this little work to a greater length than is 
desirable. The best that can be done is to take 
a type, and, having made that familiar, the whole 
science of boat-sailing will have been acquired. 

The sloop-rig consists of the following-named 
spars : — 



lO 



Practical Boat-Sailing. 



The mainmast (c c), which is usually placed 
at about two-thirds of the boat's length from the 
stern. This spar serves to sustain the mainsail ( i ) 
by a series of hoops which encircle it. 

The 77iain topmast (d d), which is fitted to the 
head of the mainmast^ and terminates at its upper 




end in a small ball, called the truck, through the 
sides of which are fitted little sheaves (i.e., wheels), 
by means of which, and the use of a small-sized 
rope, called signal-halliards, the flag, or private 
signal of the boat, is hoisted to the topmasfs head, 
and displayed. 

This spar also serves to sustain the gaff-topsail 



Model, Rig, and Names of Sails and Ropes, ii 

(3), which is hoisted and lowered along its length 
by a series of hoops encircling the spar. This sail, 
as a rule, is set and furled from the fop. 

The bowsprit (h), which projects from the bow 
of the boat, and serves to support the 7nainmast by 
means of a stay {g g) leading from its outer end 
to the 7naininast head, and another stay, called 
the bods fay (f), to the prow of the boat. The Jib- 
^l^y (g g) serves to hoist and set theyV^ (2) upon, 
— the most important sail, after the mainsail. 

The jib-boom (i), which extends out beyond 
the bowsprif, its heel being made fast to the latter, 
and, by means of stays, supports the maininasf and 
mainfopmasf ; and upon the inner one of these is 
hojsted and set the outer or flying jib (4J, the 
other (k) supporting the mainfopmasf, and called 
the mainfopmasf sfay. 

The main-gaff ^ (e e), which sustains and stretches 
the head of the mainsail, which is securely lashed 
to it by means of small seizings, or lashings. 

The main-boom (bb), which receives and 
stretches the foof of the mainsail, to which it is 
securely lashed. 

The above constitute the main spars and sails of 
a boat of the sloop rig. 

To enable one to understand all that follows, it 
will be necessary to acquire a little more informa- 
tion concerning these spars and sails, and the names 
and uses of the principal ropes, sheets, &c. 



12 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

As the reader faces the cut, and glances at the 
mainsail (i), he should remember that the head 
of the ^ail is that part fastened to. the gaff; and the 
foot, that part of the sail fastened to the boom. The 
outer-leach, or after-leach, that part of the sail 
which extends from the end of the gaff to the end 
of the boom farthest removed from the mainmast. 
The inner-leach, or bff, is that part of the sail 
which extends from the gaff to the boom, and is 
confined to the mainmast by hoops that embrace 
it, and allow of the sail being hoisted and lowered 
at will. 

The clews of a sail are those parts which a " land- 
lubber " might call corners ; i.e., the clews of the 
mainsail are four, and are situated at the junction 
of the /z//f and head oi \kiQ sail, the outer-leach and 
head of the sail, the outer-leach and foot of the 
sail, and the liff and foot of the sail ; the latter 
being also called the tack. 

The mainsail, as will be observed, has also a 
series of regular lines crossing its surface. These 
are called reef-points, and consist of short, dangling 
pieces of small rope, sewed into the sail, and hang- 
ing down on either side, long enough, when the 
sail is lowered, to be fastened around the main- 
boom, and thus tie down the sail, making it smaller 
for rough weather, which is called '' reefing." On 
the outer-leach, 2X the end of these rows of I'eef- 
points, are placed little iron rings, or cringles, as 



Model, Rig, and Names of Sails and Ropes. 13 

they are called, which are used to pass a rope 
through, called a I'eef-pennant, to haul the sail well 
out on to the boom when being reefed. The rope 
(a a) represents what is called the topping-lift, and 
is used to lower or hoist the main-boom, so as to 
make the sail set well in certain circumstances ; or 
when the main-boom is out over the water on one 
side of the boat, when running before the wind, to 
" top it up,^^ so as to keep it out of the water when 
the boat rolls. It is set up by means of a small 
pulley, the end of the rope coming inboard through 
a sheave in the boom, or one fastened to its side. 

The jib has its luff, head, foot, and after-leach, 
the same as the mainsail, but, of course, has only 
three clews, being a triangular sail. 

And what is defined about these sails will apply 
to all fore and aft sails. 

The most important ropes, to which the attention 
of the reader is called, are the following : — 

The mainsheet (1) is a long rope fastened to 
the main-boom, and controlling the action of the 
mainsail. According to the size of the boat, this 
sheet will be single, or rove through a series of 
blocks, to enable the helmsman to handle the sail. 
Upon the management of this sheet depends, in a 
great measure, the safety of all boat-sailing. Its 
perfect handling and adjustment call for the nicest 
skill ; for its slightest movement changes the whole 
face of the canvas spread in the mainsail. 



14 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

The jib-sheets (m) are fastened to the diXox-clew 
of the jib at the foot of the sail, and are led aft on 
both sides of the deck, so as to be within reach of 
the helmsman, or those sitting in the after-part 
of the boat. Like the mainsheet, they are used to 
confine and trim down ih^Jil?, each being used on 
the side on which it is desired to trim down the 
sail. 

The outer-Jib is controlled in the same manner, 
by two sheets, one being led aft on either side of 
the deck. 

The mainsail is hoisted by means of two sets' of 
ropes, called throat BXidi peak halliards (n). 

These are fastened at the foot of the mast to 
cleats when the sail is hoisted ; the tliroat-hall- 
iards, usually on the port-side of the mast, and 
the peak-halliards, on the starboard side of the 
mast. 

N.B. — The term starboard is applied to any thing ap- 
pertaining to the right-hand side of a boat, with the observer 
looking towards the bow. The term port (formerly, and 
sometimes now, called larboard) is applied to any thing 
appertaining to the left-hand side, and, thus once defined, 
never changes. 

x\lthough the observer may go forward and look aft, the 
starboard side is still the starboard side, although now on 
his left hand. Hence sailors talk of the starboard anchor, 
the port shrouds ; " Ease off the port jib-sheet I " " Let go 
the starboard flying-jib-sheet ! " " Put your helm over to 
portP'' "Hoist those colors from the starboard side!" 
" Let the boom go over to port ! " " Get up that anchor 



Model, Rig, and Names of Sails and Ropes. 15 

which you will find below in the forecastle, on the starboard 
side ! " *' Go about on the port tack ! " &c. 

Thtjil? (2) is hoisted by means of a rope, which 
is called the Jib-halliards, which is made fast to 
the upper clew of the sail, and led through a block 
at the fnainmast head, and thence to the deck, 
being "belayed" (i.e., made fast) to the mainmast 
near the deck. • This sail also has a small but use- 
ful rope attached to it, called the down-haul, which 
is fastened to the upper clew, and led down to a 
small block at the bowsprit end, and thence in on 
deck; and serves to haul the sail down after the 
halliards have been cast off. The flying-jib (4) is 
fitted with halliar-ds and down-hazel in the same 
manner. 

T\\Q gaff- fops ail (3) is set by hauling out the afier- 
leach 2ind/ool to the end of the fnain-gaff, which 
part of the gaff is called the peak, by means of a 
rope, which is named the gaff topsail-sheet, which 
reefs through a sheave in the gaff end, and hence 
under the gaff to the throat, and thence through a 
block to the deck. The other clew, formed by the 
liffdccA foot, is stretched by means of a rope lead- 
ing to the deck, called the tack; and the sail is 
hoisted by means of halliards, that reve through a 
block fastened at the topmast head, and thence 
leading to the deck. 

When the boat is under way, and pressed over by 
the wind, the terms " starboard " and " port " are 



1 6 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

often exchanged for " leeward " and "windward," 
and, in fact, are the more commonly used in many 
instances ; although an old sailor would apply the 
word "starboard" to certain things that he would 
not apply the word "leeward " or "windward " to : 
but these exceptions it would be hard to point out, 
and they would be of httle material use. Let it 
suffice to say, that as a rule, when a boat is at 
anchor or upright, the terms "starboard" and 
"port" are used; whilst, when under way, the 
terms "lee" or " leeward," " weather " or "wind- 
ward," are more com.moixly used; for instance, 
" Let go the weather jib-sheet ! " " Haul aft the lee 
flying jib-sheet ! " " Haul that coil of rope over to 
the weather-side (or to windward) ! " "Throw that 
hot water to leeward ! " " Does she carry a weather- 
helm?" &c. 



Ballast, 1 7 



. CHAPTER 11. 

Ballast. — Useful Knots. — To anchor in a Gale of Wind. — Get- 
ting the Anchor, and Casting. — Anchoring for Fishing. — 
Grounding and Floating. — Warping by Means of an Anchor. 
— To make a Running Moor. 

Having learned the names of all the important 
spars, sails, and ropes, and their uses, it becomes 
necessary to study the other appurtenances of a 
boat to acquire a thorough knowledge of boat-sail- 
ing; and for that purpose we will pass briefly in 
review the following. 

BALLAST. 

Nearly all yachts are made of such a model as to 
need some heavy material placed within them to 
enable them to carry sail, and stand up against sud- 
den squalls and flaws of wind. This material is 
called ballast, and, as a self-evident rule, yachts that 
are shallow, and of great breadth of beam, need 
less than those of a deep and narrow model. 

Many articles may be used for ballast, and a 
yacht baflasted in many different ways; but the 



1 8 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

following named are those that are most commonly 
used. Pig-iron, in pieces that can be handled, is a 
favorite kind of ballast : sometimes each piece is 
painted, so as to preserve it from rusting, and dis- 
coloring the inside of the boat. Iron in the form 
of fifty-six-pound weights is also used ; whilst a 
cheaper and very common ballast is found in the 
small clean pebbles of the seashore. Water con- 
tained in rnovable tanks has been at times, with 
some, a well-praised ballast ; and in yachts where it 
can be used, and that are fitted for it, it is of great 
practical value, as, like no other, it can be dis- 
charged and renewed by means of a pump, accord- 
ing to the will and weather. 

The slag from smelted copper and iron is exten- 
sively used, as are also broken pieces of iron-casting. 
But perhaps the ballast as commonly in use as any 
other in medium-sized yachts and small boats, or, 
at least, a part of the ballast, consists of common 
sea-sand enclosed in canvas sacks of a not too 
unwieldy size, that are movable about the bottom 
of the boat by means of canvas handles, and can, 
in emergency, be dumped bodily over into the sea, 
thus relieving the yacht of so much dead weight. 

Nearly all yachts that are ballasted, when filled 
with water, will sink ; and there have been many 
ingenious ways devised to prevent this, so that, 
in case a yacht should be swamped, i.e., com- 
pletely filled with water, she would yet float, and 



Ballast. 19 

make a sort of life-preserver to the occupants, and 
not go to the bottom, and leave them struggling on 
the surface. 

A very ingenious and yet cheap way of obtaining 
this result is to have built into the wings of the 
yacht, under the floorings, and in every conceivable 
place that is out of the way, empty tin or iron six- 
pound powder-canisters, that seal hermetically, suf- 
ficient in number to overcome, by the air they con- 
tain and the natural buoyancy of the wood com- 
posing the yacht, the weight of the ballast, or the 
tendency of the same to sink the yacht when filled 
with water. It will not take a great number of 
these canisters in quite a large yacht of medium 
model; for, although the yacht will sink without 
them, it does not take very much of this confined 
air to turn the scale, and make it float. 

Some yachts are ballasted with lead ; and this, 
if it were not for its cost, is a prime ballast, taking 
up less space than any other. And some care not 
for the first cost ; for, as is truly said, it is a market- 
able article, which does not vary much in price : 
and, even if it should cost quite a sum to ballast 
one's yacht with lead, it is so much cash on hand, 
and can always be taken out and sold at a moment's 
notice. Besides the different kinds of ballast that 
have been enumerated, there is also the living bal- 
last, that is to say, human beings, whom one can 
place in different parts of the yacht to trim her 



20 Practical Bo at- Sailing. 

in different situations. But this kind of ballast is 
mostly used in racing, and even then is sometimes 
apt to "get out of order," and not "work well;" 
and the writer would advise one to stick to iron, 
lead, gravel, or sand as superior. 

Perhaps for bay and harbor sailing and short 
cruises from port to port, there is nothing better 
than the canvas bags of sand, which can be emp- 
tied, if necessary, when one gets aground, or in any 
other case of emergency, and filled again at the 
very next shore upon which one lands in the little 
tender. 

As a rule, sailing-boats and small yachts are 
"trimmed by the stern;" that is, the bow is 
slightly elevated from the water, the boat being 
pressed, by the position of its ballast, deeper into 
the water at the stern than at the bow. But every 
yacht is a law to itself; and no rule will do for all. 
The position of the ballast has also much to do with 
the steering qualities, as well as affecting speed : if 
it be placed too far forward, the yacht will " yaw," 
and at times, before the wind, be almost unmanage- 
able. In "going about," also, if the ballast be too 
far forward, the boat will often " miss stays ; " that 
is, fail to perform the evolution of getting upon the 
other tack. 

Misplaced ballast will also cause the yacht to 
carry the helm in a bad position, stopping her 
speed. Bringing a yacht "by the head" with too 



Ballast. 2 1 

much ballast is a serious, nay, at times, a dangerous 
fault. Bringing her too much by the stern, by means 
of ballast, is not so grave a matter : the yacht may 
lose in speed, and not be in her best trim ; but she 
is not as dangerous or unmanageable. It is always 
better to have too much ballast than too htde. It 
is very easy to ballast a boat with sand or pebbles 
before one starts ; but they cannot be obtained after 
having once gotten under w^ay ; and from this sim- 
ple cause have arisen so many disasters that need 
never have occurred ! One's natural pride, and the 
desire to sail fast, prevent often the taking on 
board of the necessary amount ; and then, when it 
suddenly comes on to blow, the yacht is found to 
be crank, perhaps dangerously so. How much 
better would it be to have a little too much ballast, 
which, when homeward bound, — if there is need 
of haste, and the weather be settled, — can be dis- 
charged over the side, increasing her speed ! 

It is only by careful study that one can ascertain 
just the amount of ballast that is needed ; but, once 
found, do not change it for light or heavy weather, 
but keep it intact, and you and your boat will soon 
understand each other much better than will be 
the case if it be continually changed. A happy 
medium is what must be sought for in the question 
of ballast ; for, of course, in different weathers dif- 
ferent amounts would be in order. But be advised, 
and be on the safe side : have plenty of ballast, if 



22 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

the speed is not the very fastest that the boat is 
capable of making. 

Professional boatmen, lobstermen, and fishermen 
are never eternally shifting and changing their bal- 
last : having found the " happy medium," they let 
it alone for the season. It is only the amateur that 
is continually sailing his yacht upon her " beam- 
ends," or watching with the utmost anxiety the fast 
approaching squall, for which the professional cares 
naught. 

KNOTS. 

We cannot get along on board of a yacht without 
knowing how to make a few useful knots. 

The great beauty of a knot, in a sailor's estima- 
tion, is not only to hold well, but to be easily untie a 
or cast off after having been subjected to a great 
strain. Of all knots the bowline is, perhaps, the 
king, because it can be submitted to a strain that 
will part the rope, before slipping or {giving in the 
least (and this holds true of the largest hawser, as 
well as the smallest line) ; and, after this strain is re- 
moved, it can be untied as easily as a knot in one's 
summer neck-tie. It can be very quickly made, and 
is useful in more situations than any other, and 
can be used to replace many others. It is used 
to fasten a rope in a hurry to the ring of an anchor, 
or to make fast the painter of a tender through a 
ring-bolt securely for towing, and yet so as to be 
easily cast off; fastening sinkers upon fish-hnes, or 



Knots. 23 

the end of any rope in a position where it will bear 
strain. Flags may be bent on with this knot, al- 
though sailors have a signal- halliard knot, as they 
also have a peculiar bent for fastening a hawser to 
an anchor ; but no knot can be used in an emer- 
gency, in place of all these, like the bowline ; and, 
if one can have knowledge of but a few, let the 
bowline be the first acquired. It will be useful also 
on shore, and throughout one's life, making as a 
matter of past record, to be eternally sunk in obli- 
vion, those awful knots that never would come un- 
done again. Next to the bowHne in importance is, 
perhaps, the bend called two .half -hitches, or the 
clove hitch, by means of which one can secure 
with the end of a rope almost any thing. This 
hitch is called two half-hitches when it is made 
upon its own standing part, and a clove hitch when 
made around any other thing, such as a spar ; but 
both are the same in principle. 

The third knot that must be acquired is what is 
called the sqitare knot, or reef knot, and is used in 
reefing the sails. The reef-points being tied in 
square knots can be easily untied when needed : 
if improperly tied in a grafiny knot, they either jam 
or fly open in the height of the gale, — when one 
desires them most to hold on. 

With these- three knots one can get along nicely, 
and it is advisable to obtain a knowledge of how to 
make them without delay. 



24 



Practical Boat-Sailing. 




TO MAKE A BOWLINE KNOT. 

Take the end of the rope in your right hand, and 
the standing part in your left ; lay the end over the 
standing part; then with your left 
'^Xntt^ hand turn the bight of the stand- 
ing part from you, and over the 
end part, by a pecuhar turn of the 
wrists, which comes only by prac- 
tice, forming what is called a goose- 
neck on the standing part; then 
lead the end, which is already en- 
closed in the goose-neck, under and 
around the standing part, and down 
through the same goose-neck ; and haul the parts 
taut. 

TO MAKE- TWO HALF-HITCHES. 

Pass the end of the rope around the standing 
part, and up through 
the bight (this is one 
half-hitch) ; pass the 
end again around the 
standing part, and up 
through its own bight, 
which makes the sec- 
ond half - hitch, and 
completes the knot. 
(See diagram.) Then, 
if this knot is used to bend on a hawser to an 




Clove 
Jtitch. 



To make a Squai'e or Reef Knot 25 

anchor, it is customary to stop the end of the rope 
down upon the standing part by means of a rope- 
yam, so as to prevent all chance of its coming 
apart whilst chafing about at the bottom of the sea. 
A dove hitch is this same knot made around a 
spar or other article, instead of on its own standing 
part. (See diagram.) 

TO MAKE A SQUARE OR REEF KNOT. 

First make a common overhand knot around a 
spar, or any thing that may suit ; then make exactly 
the same knot again, taking care to cross the ends 
so that they will each come out on the same side 
of the bight as they did in the first 
knot. If on either side of what may 
bfe called the right or left side of the 
knot, as seen in the cut, the ends do y^M^wo/* 
not come out in the same relative ^«^'^-^"*'^ 
place as in the first knot, it is called a "granny 
knot," and will not hold. And one who makes a 
" granny " becomes the laughing-stock of all on 
board, and is at once pronounced a "land-lubber," 
if he cannot make this simple and useful knot cor- 
rectly. So be advised, and learn it at once. 

THE ANCHOR AND GEAR. 

Nothing on board the yacht, after the sails and 
ropes, should receive such attention as the " ground 
tackle," as it is called. On the anchor and its ap- 




26 



Practical Boat-Sailinsr. 



purtenances rests the safety, often, of all on board ; 
and yet there is nothing so often neglected, or left 
carelessly out of order, or the hawser in a snarl, as 
the anchoring gear in a small yacht. 

Every yacht over twenty-five feet in length should 
be fitted with three anchors, or, at the very least, 

two. If three in 
number, two of 
them should be 
nearly of the same 
size, and one quite 
small and handy, 
which is called the 
"kedge-anchor." 
We will suppose 
that the yacht is 
fitted with three, 
and, if so, their 
uses will be as here- 
inafter described. 

In the olden 
times hemp cables 
were wholly used, 
even for vessels of 
large size and men- 
of-war ; but in these 
latter days they have been replaced by iron cables 
in large ships, and by manila hawsers in small 
yachts. To be sure there are some advantages 




CROIVN 



The Anchor and Gear. 27 

in favor of a chain-cable for even small yachts; 
but as a rule the pliable, soft but strong manila 
rope is the favorite. Small iron cables are, for some 
reason or other, distrusted ; and they are also heavy 
to get back again, even if of small size, when the 
yacht is anchored in many fathoms of water. They 
are useful when the yacht is likely to lie at an- 
chor in a sea-way for a long time, for then they 
would not chafe ; whilst a manila cable might be- 
come seriously injured. Some use a few fathoms 
of iron chain, and then manila above that, so as 
to keep the end near the anchor from fraying on 
rocky bottoms. It is to be remembered, then, in a 
long piece of chain cable, that the one imperfect 
link, or one that is weak in any way, determines the 
utmost strength of the cable. In other words, the 
strain necessary to part the weakest link makes the 
stronger ones useless. Perhaps it is the fear of this 
weakness lurking in some unknown hnk that deters 
yachtsmen, as a class, from using chain-cables, and 
makes them prefer the clean, handsome manila rope, 
that they know is just as strong at one part as another 
throughout its entire length. 

Wire cables have commenced to be talked of, 
made in the same shape as wire rigging, only more 
pliable ; and these, perhaps, will, in time, come into 
use, as they are of uniform strength, and take up 
less room than the cumbersome manila rope cables. 

If the anchors are stowed below deck, always get 



28 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

them up, and bent on to their respective cables, 
long before the time when it becomes necessary to 
use them. One never knows, near a coast-line, 
when an anchor ,may be needed. 

Always have good long cables, and not nasty 
little pieces of short rope : on this depends often 
the safety of all concerned. Every thing else being 
equal, the length of the cables is what will deter- 
mine, in a gale of wind, whether the yacht goes on 
shore a wreck, or gallantly and safely weathers the 
storm. 

TO ANCHOR IN A GALE OF WIND. 

If caught in a gale of wind on a lee-shore, and 
with no chance of escape, — the sea being too 
heavy to "claw off" to windward, and no harbor 
to leeward, — the only safety is to anchor; and 
always do this before it is too late, and before the 
yacht has been driven too near the shore or break- 
ers to lie quietly. Procrastination at such a time 
is often highly dangerous ; and a yacht may go 
ashore because she is anchored in a line of heavy 
breakers, when just outside she would he almost 
with ease. 

It will be found, also, that it always takes longer 
to get an anchor down than was estimated, and 
whilst it is being done the yacht sets heavily in 
towards the shore with each sea : therefore anchor 
early. When every thing is ready, bring the yacht 
to the wind, and let the sails shake in the wind's 



To Anchor in a Gale of Wiftd. 29 

eye ; and, so soon as she gets stem-way, let 
go the best . bower anchor, taking care not to snub 
her too quickly, but to let considerable of the cable 
run out before checking her ; then take a turn or 
two around' the knight-heads, long before there is 
any strain, and be ready to give her cable gradually 
as she needs it. One must be very careful to get 
this turn around the knight-heads long before 
there is any strain ; for the strength of the yacht 
drifting before the gale will be under-estimated, 
except by a sailor ; and if one has neglected to 
take the necessary turn in time, and a strain once 
commences upon the cable, it will then be too late, 
and the mortification will be experienced of seeing 
the whole cable go overboard, unless the yacht be 
brought up by its being fastened below ; and even 
then the chances are, that it will be snapped 
asunder by the momentum that the drifting yacht 
has acquired. 

Just so soon as the first anchor bites, and the 
yacht seems to come head to wind, and hold, let go 
the second anchor, and pay out plenty of cable on 
both, keeping the strain as nearly equal on each as 
possible. In grave circumstances like these of 
anchoring in a gale of wind on a lee-shore, it is 
always well to put down both anchors. Too often 
one anchor is used, because the weather does 
not look very bad, and, as it increases, the cable is 
paid out upon ; and when, at last, it is ascertained 



30 - Practical Boat-Sailing. 

that the gale has increased, and another anchor is 
needed, it is found, after it is cast, that the cable 
cannot be paid out upon it, because the end of 
the cable of the. first anchor is close at hand, and 
has been nearly all paid out, making the second 
anchor useless. Always let go both anchors, one 
shortly after the Other ; and if the weather be very 
bad indeed, then, when about half the cable is paid 
out on the second anchor, lash to the cable the 




.yfrvdhor icccJketX 



small kedge-anchor, by fastening it by small ropes, 
passed around the shank and through the ring, to 
the cable of the large anchor, and cast it over the 
bows. This is called "backing an anchor" (see 
diagram), and strengthens the hold of the first 
anchor in a marked degree, especially if the hold- 
ing-ground be poor. It is supposed, -of course, 
that, as the yacht comes head to wind, the jib is 
hauled down ; and now the next thing is to down 



To Anchor in a Gale of Wind. 31 

mainsail, and furl every thing snug. If the yacht 
holds well, keep part of the hawsers still on board, 
to pay out, if necessary ; and, to be sure that she is 
not dragging, cast a hand-lead over the side, and 
let it rest on the bottom. Make it fast, leaving 
enough slack so that the yacht may sheer without 
moving it. By trying this once in a while, it will 
be instantly seen, from its relative position between 
the yacht and the bottom, whether the vessel has 
dragged. For instance, if the lead-line should be 
left up and down, and the next time it was tested 
should be found resting on the bottom, toward the 
bow of the yacht, she would have drag-ged just that 
distance, and needs more cable at once. It is well 
always to give a good scope in such emergencies, 
and allow the anchors to become embedded at a 
good angle, and not be played with by just holding, 
and then dragging a little, and then paying out a 
little : that is dangerous sport. After all is furled 
snug, nothing else can be done for safety, except 
in case of extreme emergency, when, as a last re- 
course, the mainmast may be cut away if the yacht 
is dragging on shore. But with two good anchors 
down in, say, six fathoms of water, and one of 
those backed, and forty or fifty fathoms of cable 
out, it will take a terrific sea and wind to make a 
yacht budge an inch. 



32 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

GETTING THE ANCHOR, AND CASTING. 

Hoist the mainsail, and take the gaskets off the 

jib, and see that the downhaul is cast off, and is 

clear for hoisting ; then heave away on the cable, 

either by hand, or by windlass, if the yacht be large 

enough to need one, till the an- 

Jchor is almost broken out of the 
ground, or what sailors call, the cable, 
"up and down;" then, by means 
of the rudder, if in a tide -way, cast 
the head of the yacht in the direc- 
tion you wish to proceed upon; 
trip the anchor ; and run up the jib 
as soon as it will draw. If there is 
no tide-way to act upon the rudder, 
then, before breaking out the an- 
chor, hoist the jib; and, if it is 
desired to cast the boat upon the 
port-tack, trim down the jib-sheet to 
^ , ,, port, and shove the main-boom well 

^ out over the starboard quarter, and, 
when the boat has a good sheer, trip the anchor ; 
and, when she has paid off enough, let go the port 
jib-sheet, and trim down on the starboard-sheet, 
and haul aft the main-boom, and proceed on your 
way. 




Anchoring for Fishing. 33 

ANCHORING FOR FISHING. 

It is often needful to drop an anchor so as just 
to hold the yacht stationary for a short time in 
some known place, for the purpose of fishing ; and 
these places are almost always ledges of rock, which 
foul and entangle the anchor, and it is often diffi- 
cult to weigh it again. To avoid this (if there is 
not too much "wind, and the yacht will lie easily), 
instead of making the cable fast to the ring of the 
anchor, make it fast with a clove hitch around both 
arms at the crown, and lead it along the shank of 
the anchor to the ring, to which attach it by meafts 
of a small piece of spun yarn or twine that will 
hold some strain, but which can be broken in case 
of necessity. Then, when it is desired to get under 
way again, and the anchor is found to be fouled, 
bring enough strain, by means of the windlass or 
otherwise, upon the cable to part the twine at the 
ring ; when the strain will come directly upon the 
crown and flukes, and the anchor will almost 
always be cleajjed. If it should not be, pay out 
plenty of cable, and sail around or beyond it, and 
all at once it will be found that it is cleared, and 
can be weighed. In anchoring in this manner, it 
is not, in light weather, necessary to lower the 
mainsail, but simply to trim down the main-sheet 
flat, or place the boom in a crotch made for that 
purpose. The jib can be lowered ; and hoisted 
again when under way. 



34 Practical Boat-Sailing, 

GROUNDING AND FLOATING. 

If the yacht takes the ground on any shoal, and 
is left by the tide, it is always proper to get out an 
anchor in the direction of the wind, before the tide 
returns ; then, when the water begins to make, the 
yacht will not be blown higher and higher upon the 
shoal as she commences to float, but will be held 
by her anchor, and soon ride head to wind or tide. 

WARPING BY MEANS OF AN ANCHOR. 

There are times when it is desirable to get a 
yacht into a certain position, and there is no wind. 
To do this, run out a light anchor to the spot you 
desire to reach, by means of a smair tender ; cast it 
overboard ; and warp the yacht up to it : repeat this 
till the desired position is reached. 

A RUNNING MOOR 

Is sometimes made by casting an anchor, with 
plenty of scope of cable, whilst a yacht is running 
free, or before the wind, and bringyig her with a 
long sweep, up to and heading the wind. 



The Helm and Rudder. 



35 



CHAPTER III. 

The Helm and Rudder. — Sheets. — The Topping-Lift. — Spring- 
ing a Leak and the Use of the Pump. — Sailing " close-hauled," 
"by the wind," or "full and by." — To know when a Yacht is 
as near the Wind as she will lie. — Running free. — Before the 
Wind, or Scudding. — To execute a Pilot's Luff. 



THE HELM AND RUDDER 

Control the movement of the yacht- through the 
water, and serve to direct her course. 

The rudder may be described as pieces of boards 
or "planks, in a line with the keel, hung upon pivots 
at the stern of a vessel, in an 
upright position, and extend- 
ing from the keel to the rail, 
and having an attachment, 
called a tiller or wheel, to 
move it in either direction, 
to the right or left, across the 
line of the keel of the yacht. (See diagram.) 

The tiller, which passes through the rudder-head, 
is moved to the right or left; and this is termed 
"moving the helm." For instance, "Move the 
helm over to starboard," " Put the helm to star- 




7iic<Zd.er # TlUer • 



36 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

board," that is to say, push the tiller over towards 
the starboard side of the yacht, which will carry 
the rudder to the port side of the yacht, and, if 
under way, the bow will change direction towards 
the left. In other words, when a vessel is under 
way, and going ahead by her own momentum, or 
anchored in a tide-way, the following rule always 
holds good : — 

To starboard the helm carries the head to poi^t. 

To port the helm carjies the head to starboard. 
See diagrams, Figs, i and 2, page 37. 

This is all reversed at a critical point in seaman- 
ship, which should be carefully remembered ; and 
that is when a yacht has what is called a stern-board, 
i.e., has received some force which is making her 
go through the water stern first. This often hap- 
pens when an attempt has been made to tack, and 
the execution of the manoeuvre has seemed to fail : 
it is then for a moment or two that the yacht will 
often drift astern, keeping in the wind's eye, mak- 
ing it uncertain whether or not she will yet "go 
about." It is at this moment, whilst she is making 
this stern-board, that a knowledge of the helm will 
yet put her about by shifting the helm hard over 
to the opposite side from where it was when the 
attempt was made to go about. Remember not to 
move the helm till the yacht has commenced mak- 
ing stern-way, then this law applies : — ^" 

To starboard the helm carries the head to star- 
board. 



The Helm and Ruddet: 



37 





To port the helm carries the head to port. 
For instance, if it were desired to go about by 
bringing the helm over to the starboard side of the 
yacht, and the manoeuvre 
should fail, after the yacht 
has come head to wind, 
and commenced to get 
stern-way, it might yet be 
consummated by shifting 
the helm, or tiller, over 
to port, which would have 
exactly the same effect as 
it formerly had when the yacht was advancing, and 
the helm hard a starboard. 

A yacht should be perfectly enough balanced 
with sails and ballast to carry a nearly even helm 
\Vhen on the wind : but it is often the case that 
they carry what is called a lee-helm ; that is to say, 
when the yacht is on a wind, the tiller is continu- 
ally poked down to leeward, or the opposite side 
of the yacht from the wind, to keep her up to 
her course, from which a tendency to fall off is 
shown : this is usually caused by too much head- 
sail, and may be remedied by a shorter bowsprit, a 
smaller jib, or another cloth on the after-leach of 
the mainsail. 

To carry a lee-helm is a "beastly thing," as an 
Enghshman would say, and something that cannot 
long be endured by those who truly like yachting. 



38 Pj-actical Boat-Sailing. 

If the yacht is free from the odious lee-hehu, she 
may carry a weather-hdtn, which is not as bad as a 
lee-helm, but is troublesome. This causes the yacht 
to have a tendency to " luff up into the wind," and 
causes the tiller to be carried hard over on the 
weather-side of the yacht, and is usually occasioned 
by too much after-sail, or bad storage of ballast. 
Both these habits of carrying a lee, or weather helm, 
are detrimental to speed, as in both positions the 
rudder is often held at nearly a right angle to the 
keel, decreasing the speed materially. A yacht 
that is well balanced in sails and ballast will, on a 
wind, habitually carry the tiller a point or two to 
windward of the line of the keel, and it will need 
but httle movement in any direction to keep her 
on her course. Sometimes, in sudden squalls, a 
yacht that carries a weather-helm will luif up into 
the wind in spite of the helm, so as not to be 
stopped except by slacking off the main-sheet. The 
same may occur in yawing with a yacht that carries 
a lee-helm. The helm may be put hard down, and 
sometimes the jib-sheet will have to be eased off, 
before the yacht will come to the wind. A weather- 
helm is endurable, but a lee-helm never, — " Well, 
hardly ever^ 

SHEETS. 

Sheets are the ropes that confine the mainsail 
and jib in place, and are most important in their 
uses. The jib-sheets lead along the deck, aft, to 



The Topping- Lift, • 39 

the standing-room, in most yachts, and in heavy 
weather should not be belayed so but what they 
can be cast off in an instant by a sudden jerk of 
the hand. They may be held in place by a sort of 
hitch, hard to' describe, where one part jams the 
other, and keeps it in place. Any boatman will 
explain how it is made. The main-sheet makes 
fast, usually, at or near the helmsman, under whose 
charge it is j ' and in heavy weather this should 
not be made fast at all, but only one turn taken, 
and the remainder of the strain rest upon the hand. 
Of course, in yachts over thirty to forty feet in length, 
with crews, every thing can be made fast : but we 
are now writing of smaller craft, and it is repeated, 
in squally and dirty weather never make fast the 
main-sheet ; it is the key to the whole science of 
bbat-sailing, and should never be out of one's hand 
in time of emergency. It can, after taking one 
turn, be wound around the tiller, and brought to 
the same hand as the one that is moving the helm, 
and yet be instantly cast off, if necessary. 

THE TOPPING-LIFT. 

This useful rope holds up the main-boom, and 
its length is regulated by a pulley. In scudding 
before the wind it is very useful ; for, by means of 
the pulley, the end of the boom can be " topped 
up," so as to be kept out of the water when the 
yacht rolls heavily. It is ^Isq useful in making the 



40 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

mainsail set well ; and, after the latter is hoisted, it 
can be made to set flat as a board by slacking the 
topping-lift so that the after-leach of the sail will 
wholly sustain the outer end of the main-boom. 

SPRINGING A LEAK, AND THE USE OF THE PUMP. 

The pump should always be kept in good order, 
and ready for immediate use. In case the yacht 
springs a leak, the best way to stop it is to pass 
a light sail over the bows, and bring it aft over 
the leak by means of ropes on both sides of the 
yacht. Leaks are more easily stopped on the 
outside, the pressure of the water forcing the can- 
vas into the damaged part ; and even light canvas 
is almost water-proof. Of course, after once having 
thus temporarily stopped a leak, it is scarcely neces- 
sary to add that one should seek shelter in the 
nearest port, and have the yacht perfectly repaired 
before proceeding farther; for there is nothing 
more deceptive, or dangerous even, than a small 
leak, which is almost always sure to open, and be- 
come a source of great anxiety, just so soon as the 
sea begins to get up and the wind to blow, — at the 
very moment, in other words, when the yacht needs 
all possible care and attention in other directions, 
to insure her safety. Never neglect a small leak, 
but have it attended to and repaired at once. 

Examine the well of the yacht often,. and ascer- 
tain by personal inspection that she is not making 



Close-Haiiled. 41 

water faster than is usual, and especially have this 
attended to during rough weather. If a leak is 
discovered, the yacht should, if possible, be put 
before the wind till it is secured ; for she will re- 
ceive less strain to hull and spars in this position 
than in any other. 

CLOSE-HAULED. 

A yacht is said to be close-hauled, or sailing 
^^ full and by, ^^ when she is brought as near to the 
wind as is possible, so as to advance through the 
water ; for it is to be presumed that it is understood, 
that if the main-boom were brought so as to pass 
directly over the line of the keel of- the yacht, and 
the head of the yacht brought as near the wind as 
possible, and the sail to remain full, and not shake, 
^he would not advance, but would simply be 
pushed to leeward by the wind. To insure her 
advancing, the boom must be at some angle from 
the hne of the keel : therefore it may be taken as 
a rule that the main-boom, in sailing, is always kept 
out over the quarter, on one side or the other ; and 
close-hauled simply means that it is brought as far 
inboard, or towards the line of the keel, by means 
of the main-sheet, as experience has proved can 
be done, and have her advance through the water. 
Some yachts haul aft the main-boom closer than 
others, being enabled to do so on account of their 
build and model ; and the closer the boom can 



42 Practical Bo at- Sailing. 

be brought to the line of the keel, and the yacht 
still kept advancing, the nearer the wind she will be 
said to sail, and will "hold a good wind," as it is 
called. And this is, of course, a desideratum in 
beating to windward, or against the wind at an 
angle to it; for the yacht that makes the angle 
least between itself and the direction of the wind 
will, other things being equal, arrive the quickest 
at its destination ; whilst another, that cannot lie so 
nigh the wind, will have to pass over much more 
water to arrive at the same place. On general 
principles, all fore-and-aft vessels lie equally near 
the wind, usually within four points and a half; 
but there are craft, that from their model, and 
equal balance of sail, or some other unknown 
cause, will lie nearer than their neighbors, and seem 
to eat up into the wind. 

Just how far to have the main-boom over the 
side of the yacht, in sailing close-hauled, has never 
been settled ; for it resolves itself to this. If the 
boom is hauled further inboard, the yacht sails 
nearer to the wind, but in an increased ratio loses 
its speed ; for, if it should be hauled completely in 
till in a line with the keel, the yacht would stop, as 
has been explained : whilst, the farther out over the 
side it is allowed to go, the faster the yacht sails, 
but the farther also from the wind and the direc- 
tion that it is desired to proceed in to windward. 
Hence a happy medium must be decided upon ; 



Close-Hauled. 43 

and there is no doubt but what the result of most 
races has depended more upon the use of the main 
sheet, when close-hauled, or beating to windward, 
than upon any other cause. Just how flat to trim 
the sheets can only be acquired by experience ; but 
the following general rules will apply : — 

As a general principle, the sheets can be trimmed 
flatter, or farther aft, in light weather and a smooth 
sea, than in heavy weather and a head sea. In 
fact, it is impossible to sail as near the wind in 
lumpy water as in smooth water. After a yacht 
has been reefed, also, she will not lie as near the 
wind as before, for the same reasons that compelled 
the reefing. 

With old hands, the yacht, when close-hauled, 
is allowed to, what sailors call, "go through the 
wkter," rather than to point up almost into the 
wind's eye, and keep bobbing up and down, and 
advancing very little. In most yachts it will be 
found by experiment that the main-boom should 
be at about the angle shown in the figure in the 
diagram on p. 46, marked " close hauled ; " but 
others may be, perhaps, hauled slightly more in- 
board : but, as a general law, a good free sheet is 
the better, especially in a sea-way. 



44 Practical Boat-Sailing 



TO KNOW WHEN THE YACHT IS AS NEAR THE WIND 
AS SHE WILL SAIL 

Is important, and it can always be known by the 
following method. Push the helm very slowly over 
to leeward, and, as the yacht commences to come 
towards the wind, keep the eye fastened upon the 
luff, or inner leach, of the mainsail. As soon as 
the yacht is too near the wind to have the sail stand 
full, a little wave will be seen to agitate the luff of 
the sail, from its head to the foot, usually commen- 
cing near the head, and just under the gaff, as that 
part of the sail is at a further angle from the wind 
than the part that is fastened to the main-boom ; 
the gaff blowing out much further to leeward, not 
being confined by a sheet as the main-boom is. 
This wave, or shake, is caused by the wind getting 
on both sides of the- sail, and, if persisted in, would 
bring the yacht to a stand-still, with the sail flapping 
in the wind's eye. But short practice will enable 
one to see almost instantly this commencement of 
a shake, that begins to show itself on the mainsail 
like a smile breaking over the countenance of a 
pretty woman ; and at the first symptom reverse the 
helm, and keep the yacht in that position which is 
called sailing " by the wind," or " full and by ; " 
that is to say, full sails, and by the wind. If, after 
the yacht is in this position, a bearing on shore 
can be taken to steer by, it will be a good thing ; 



Running Free. 45 

but as the wind often changes even several points, 
especially near the coast-line, every few moments, 
this experiment must be repeated ; and it is this 
keeping a yacht up to her work, and never letting 
her fall off, and never shaking her, and yet taking 
advantage of every flaw, that goes to make up the 
accomplished helmsman. There are other signs 
besides these, which to a sailor are very simple, 
that denote to' him when the yacht is off the wind ; 
such as the angle at which the wind strikes his 
face, the direction of the wind on the face of the 
waters, and the line of the weather-vane at the main 
truck, and the smoke from his pipe : these will do 
for him as well as lufflng and shaking the mainsail, 
but the latter method is the perfect one ; and, if 
the yacht can be so steered as to keep just the 
suspicion of a little smile rippling its luff below the 
throat of the gaff, it will be the perfection of sailing 
" close-hauled," or " by the wind." 

RUNNING FREE. 

When the wind is favorable, and the yacht will 
lay her course without having to beat towards her 
destination at an angle against the head wind, as in 
close-hauled, then the sails are arranged in a dif- 
ferent manner ; and the main-boom is swung out 
over the side in just such proportion as the wind 
may be free, till completely out, so as to hang at 
right angles with the keel, when the wind is dead 
aft. (See diagrams.) 



46 



Practical Boat-Sailins'. 




Before the Wind^ or Scudding. 47 

BEFORE THE WIND, OR SCUDDING. 

This is the most difficult steering of any ; and in 
rough water it is very hard to keep the yacht upon 
her course, for the reason that the seas will lift the 
stem out of the water, thus at once neutralizing 
the use of the rudder for a moment, and causing 
the yacht to yaw. Besides this, the speed changes, 
this affecting the rudder also. When on top of a 
sea, and all the sails full, the yacht will go fast : 
when she attempts to bury her head, and kick up 
her heels, and becalms the jib and lower part of 
the mainsail, she will go slower. There is one 
thing to be guarded against in running before the 
wind, and that is, the "jibing" of the main-boom; 
that is to say, the wind getting on the forward part 
of the sail, from any cause, — whether by change of 
wind, or on account of bad steering, — and carrying 
it violently over to the other side, endangering the 
yacht, and with a liability, in heavy weather, of 
carrying away the mast. This must be guarded 
against carefully ; and if the sea is very bad, and 
the yacht steers very wild, it is better to tack down 
to leeward, as it is termed, that is to say, to haul 
up the yacht a little towards the wind on either 
tack, so as to bring it over the quarter, and then 
run before it for a distance, and then, by careful 
jibing, bring the wind over the other quarter, and 
then proceed on. 



48 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

pilot's luff. 

In harbor- sailing, a buoy or point often appears 
ahead, which, if passed, the yacht could be at once 
kept away free, being now close-hauled, thus saving 
the time and inconvenience of tacking, but, as she 
is going, will be right in the way, unless she is put 
about. To avoid tacking in such a case, where 
the yacht will almost stand by, a manoeuvre is often 
executed (if the tide is favorable, and the wind 
brisk), to avoid tacking, called. a "pilot's luff," and 
consists of — when quite near the object to be passed, 
and according to its position as right ahead or 
slightly to leeward — bringing the yacht quickly 
up into the wind, so that the sails shake, and by 
her own momentum shooting her dead to wind- 
ward once or twice her length ; and then, before 
her headway is lost, and the rudder, therefore, use- 
less, keeping her off again till every thing draws, 
when the sarne manoeuvre may be again executed, 
each time gaining a position farther to windward 
than could have been gained in any other way, 
except by going about on the other tack. 

It takes a steady hand at the tiller, and a good 
calculation of the momentum of the yacht, to exe- 
cute a pilot's luff well : but it is very useful often, 
if well performed, and very disastrous in a race j 
for instance, if the helmsman succeeds 'in getting 
the yacht "into irons," and with a stem-board on. 



Pilot's Luff. 49 

as may be the case if he brings her up too high, 
or neglects to move the hehn in time to get back 
upon his course before the momentum of the yacht 
is lost, or lets her go about on the other tack. A 
pilot's luff is a very pretty manoeuvre when well 
executed ; and you shall see many an old boatman 
squeezing his boat by a point, instead of taking the 
trouble of going about, knowing, that, the moment 
he has doubled it, his course will be such that the 
wind will be fair, and he can then ease off his 
sheets, and go on his way rejoicing. 



so 



Practical Boat-Sailing. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Tacking. ^ Beating to Windward. — A Long and a Short Leg. — 
How to put a Yacht about, — How to distinguish the Starboard 
Tack from the Port Tack. — Jibing, or Wearing. — Dropping 
the Peak. —To beat to Windward in a Tide- Way. — To take 
in a Jib, and furl it. — To take in a Mainsail, and furl it. — To 
reef a Jib, or take off a Bonnet. — To clap one Reef in a Main- 
sail. — To cast out a Reef. 




TACKING 

Is the art of putting a yacht 
about, so that the wind, which 
has been blowing upon the star- 
board side, we will say, shall 
blow upon the port side, or on 
the opposite side of the sails to 
which it was before the manoeu- 
vre was executed, and, when 
used to force the vessel by a 
series of angles towards the 
direction from which the wind 
proceeds, is called " beating to 
windward." Sometimes the 
wind is not dead ahead, and yet 



Tackinc^. 



51 



in such a direction that the yacht cannot proceed 
except by tacking once in a while. This is termed 
making a long and a short leg. (See diagram.) 

We will first explain how a yacht is put about in 
heavy weather and with seamanlike accuracy. 

In the first place, let us 
define the starboard tack 
from the port tack, and 
vice versa. It must be re- 
membered that a yacht is 
on the starboard tack when 
the main-boom is out over 
the port quarter, and the 
port jib-sheets trimmed 
down ; and ont he port 
tack, when the main-boom 
is out over the starboard 
quarter; or the starboard 
jib-sheets trimmed down ; or 
a yacht is said to be on the 

starboard tack when the wind blows so as to hit the 
starboard side of the boat, and vice versa. This is 
very useful to remember; for there are several 
"rights of way" that one has when on the star- 
board tack, which will be treated of hereafter. 
The windward side of the yacht also denotes which 
tack she is upon, the name of the weather-side 
being the name of the tack. We will suppose that 
the yacht is on the starboard tack, with the main- 




52 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

boom out over the port quarter, the port jib-sheets 
trimmed down, and the yacht close-hauled to the 
wind. Have every thing gotten ready for tacking, 
by singing out, Ready about ! w^hen all assistants 
should take their positions as before instructed; 
then (we will suppose you are steering your own 
yacht) keep off till the yacht is going a good full 
through the water, and then, by means of the tiller 
gradually pressed hard over to port, bring her into 
the wind's eye, singing out, as the tiller is being 
moved, ^^ Hard a-lee;^'' at which command the 
assistant at the jib-sheet should cast off all but one 
turn, and, as the boat starts into the wind, should 
cast that off, letting the jib fly loosely at the com- 
mand, Let go the jib-sheet / which follows quickly 
the announcement of " Hard a-lee." Then, unless 
the yacht gets a stern-board, which has been ex- 
plained elsewhere, she is helped round by pushing 
the main-boom — which is made fast by its sheet, 
and works itself — out over the starboard quarter. 
When the yacht is just about to pass the direction 
of the wind, and is nearly upon the other tack, give 
the order to ^^ trim down on the port jib-sheet,^^ — 
the same sheet as has just been cast off; and the 
outer surface of the sail will act as a lever to push 
the head of the yacht off till the wind fills the 
mainsail, when the order, '' Let draw/ ^^ should be 
given, and the jib- sheets let go on the port side, 
and trimmed down as fast as slacked, by another 
assistant on the starboard side. (See diagrams.) 



Tacking. 

THE ART OF TACKING 



53 



Fig.S 

Trim dotvn on 
ihePortJKb Sheet 



Fi^.Z 
ff^rd a, Zee, 
Let^oJibSheet 




Fi^.i. 



54 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

When the weather is light, the yacht small, or 
particularly easy in coming about, all the above 
may not need to be executed. Some vessels will 
come about without starting the head-sheets ; others 
always need it; some always get stern-way, and 
need the helm shifted to bring them round ; whilst 
the centre-board boats, as a class, fly round without 
touching any thing. But it is well to know how to 
get a yacht about in a heavy sea ; and all the prin- 
ciples that will help bring about this result have 
been given above. 

JIBING, OR WFARING. 

There are times when the sea is too high, and 
the sail so much reduced that a yacht will not go 
about by turning towards the wind, but must be 
gotten on the other tack by wearing, as it is techni- 
cally called in ships,- where the yards are square, 
and jibing, as it is called in crafts that carry fore- 
and-aft sails, i.e., sails that hoist up on a mast, and 
are stretched upon booms, in contradistinction to 
those that are fastened to yards that cross the mast 
at right angles, as in a ship often called by sailors, 
for this reason, a " square-rigger." 

Jibing is at all times a delicate manoeuvre, as 
many have found out to their sorrow if they have 
ever been careless. It is also a very deceptive 
manoeuvre, to any but sailors. How easy it is for 
land-lubbers, after facing a good square breeze, to 



Jibing, or Wearing. 55 

think, when the yacht is kept away before it, that 
the wind has gone down ! And the writer has actu- 
ally brought his yacht to the wind again, to convince 
one sceptic that it was the position of the yacht 
wholly that caused all the change; which is ex- 
tremely marked, as all must allow. It is from this 
treacherous smoothness, after so much buffeting 
about when close-hauled, that all the mischief 
occurs ; for the boom often, if carelessly allowed to 
jibe, will fill with wind, and, as it goes over, either 
part the main-sheet, or carry away the mast, or do 
other damage, sometimes of a very serious nature. 
It is forgotten, also, in this manoeuvre, that, when 
the mainsail comes aft, there is a moment when it 
flutters in the wind's eye ; and the yacht, relieved 
of its immense pressure, loses in a great measure 
her momentum, and then, when the sail fills with a 
rush, sufficient allowance for the loss of speed, and 
the force of the hurrying wind that fills the great 
mainsail, is not taken into account. 

This manoeuvre must, however, be executed when 
the yacht will not go about by turning to windward ; 
but it is advised to use this method as little as pos- 
sible, except in light summer airs in inner harbors, 
when it may be executed with impunity and with- 
out any danger of mishaps. 

We will suppose a yacht is running before the 
wind on the port tack, with the main-boom off to 
its fullest extent ; which is a position that she will 



56 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

reach in turning to leeward, from any other position, 
either close-hauled or running free, before she can 
be jibed. It is always safer, if the wind is at all 
strong, " to drop the peak " before attempting the 
evolution. "Dropping the peak" consists of letting 




go the peak-halliards of the mainsail, so that the 
outer clew and head of the sail, that is attached to 
the gaff, will be lowered down so as to dangle 
alongside of the mainmast, with the gaff pointing 
to the deck. This makes of the mainsail, for the 
time being, a sort of triangular or leg-of-mutton 
sail, and takes off the leverage of the high part^ 



Jibing, or Wearing. 57 

that the wind might fill in jibing, and thus press 
over the yacht dangerously. (See diagram.) 

After dropping the peak, commence hauling in 
upon the main-sheet, keeping the yacht all the 
time turned a very little towards the wind on the 
port side, till the main-sheet is hauled chock aft. 





</iIfi7z^. 



and the main-boom almost amidships ; when make 
it fast ; and then shift the helm gradually, till the 
wind is on the starboard side slightly, and the sail 
has filled with a slat upon that tack ; when the main- 
sheet may be slackened, the peak hoisted, and the 
yacht brought to the wind. (See diagram.) 

BEATING TO WINDWARD IN A TIDE-WAY. 

It is very important at times to know how a cur- 
rent sets ; for, in beating to windward, it makes all 



58 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

the difference in the world often, which tack the 
yacht is upon, and whether she is heading well up to 
the tide, or crossing it at such an angle as to receive 
its whole force ; and, being swept to leeward, the 
direction of the current will decide which tack to 
keep the longer upon, and to make as short as 
possible the tack that brings the keel at right angles 
to the current. Manage the yacht, also, so that, 
when the current or tide-way is faced in the place 
of its greatest strength, the yacht shall be upon 
the tack that nearly stems it, and that she shall be 
placed upon the unfavorable tack only when she 
approaches parts of the tide-vvay where the current 
may be less strong. A knowledge of the direction 
of a tide-way, and how to take advantage of it, has 
won many a race. 

TO TAKE IN A JIB, AND FURL IT. 

It is best to first bring to by the wind ; but the 
jib can be taken in and furled, with the yacht in 
different positions. 

Stand by the jib-halliards, and have the down- 
haul well manned, also the lee jib-sheet ; then, at 
the command, " Down jib ! " or, " Let go the jib- 
halliards ! " or, ^' Take in the jib ! " the halliards 
are cast off, the lee jib-sheet eased off, and the 
down-haul bowsed upon, till the head of the jib is 
snug down to the boom, when it should- be care- 
fully belayed, and the lee-sheet again made fast, 



To Take in a Mainsail^ and Furl It. 59 

leaving a little slack for furling. Then lay out 
upon the bowsprit, on the weather-side, and pick 
up the sail from out to leeward, and furl it to the 
bowsprit by means of gaskets, or stops, or in any 
way that is arranged for, being careful, if the yacht 
is pitching much, not to be thrown over the bow- 
sprit to leeward, if submerged in a sea; for the 
person is suddenly lifted by a sea that may reach 
only to the • middle, and, if care is not taken, 
pitched over the bowsprit and to leeward. Having 
made every thing fast, lay in, and set taut the jib- 
halHards, and belay them, and bring the after-clew 
of the jib amidships, by setting taut on the starboard 
and port jib-sheets, and belaying them, and coiling 
down every thing snug. 

TO TAKE IN A MAINSAIL, AND FURL IT. 

Bring the yacht close to the wind, and haul the 
main-sheet flat aft, and belay it carefully ; for, if it 
should get adrift whilst the sail was being furled, 
some one might be knocked overboard. Then 
stand by the throat and peak-halliards, and, at the 
word " Lower away," ease away handsomely on 
each, taking care not to let the peak drop too fast, 
which, if done, sometimes causes the hoops to jam, 
and the whole sail to stick, till the peak-halliards 
are hoisted upon again to clear things. When the 
sail is wholly down, make fast the halliards, and get 
along on the weather-side of- the main-boom, and 



6o Practical Boat-Sailing. 

pick up the sail by what is called " skinning it ; " 
that is to say, not to haul it up bodily upon the 
boom, but by repeatedly taking the canvas, and 
shaking it towards one, it is finally rolled up so as 
to lay snugly on the boom, to which it should be 
fastened by gaskets. The main-boom should then 
be lifted into a crotch, if one is used, and the throat 
and peak-halliards hauled taut, and the main-sheet 
again belayed, as it will have to be slacked to get 
the crotch under the boom, and every" thing coiled 
up snug^ and belayed. 

REEFING. 

This consists of the art of reducing the sails of a 
yacht in heavy weather, so that she will not be top- 
heavy, and be able to stand up bravely against the 
coming blast. And here let the writer beg all 
persons who desire to be advised at all, not to 
delay reefing too long ; and always put in two reefs 
rather than one, if the weather, looks very dirty. 
Reefing before bad weather reaches one is quite 
another thing than trying to reef down in the 
middle of a thunder-storm in which one has been 
caught by holding on too long. 

TO REEF A JIB, OR TAKE OFF THE BONNET. 

If fitted with a bonnet, instead of reef-points, 
bring the yacht to the wind, lower away on- the jib- 
halliards, and bowse on the down-haul, and lower 



To Put One Reef in a Mainsail. 6i 

the jib enough so as to bring the reef-cringle down 
to the bowsprit ; then, if a bonnet, unlace and cast 
off, and, if reef-points, tie up the sail with them, 
and lash the outer clew to the bowsprit, and cast 
off the jib-sheet blocks, and hook the sister-hooks 
into the reef-cringle ; hoist up the sail, and trim it. 

TO PUT ONE REEF IN A MAINSAIL. 

Bring the yacht to the wind, and haul the main- 
sheet chock aft, and belay it carefully ; then lower 
away on the throat and peak-halHards till the reef- 
band is down somewhat lower than the main-boom ; 
then, by means of the reef-pennant rove through the 
reef-cringle on the outer leach of the sail, bowse 
the foot out on the boom, and lash it fast by pass- 
ing an earing through the cringle, and around the 
boom by several turns, till the clew of the sail is 
securely fastened ; then pass an earing from the 
reef-cringle in the luff of the sail around the main- 
boom in the same manner; and then commence 
fastening the reef-points, either around the main- 
boom, or to an iron jackstay fastened to the boom, 
or around the foot of the sail, according as the 
yacht may be arranged, remembering to make each 
knot a square knot, and not a "granny." 

After the sail is half lowered in this manner, so 
as to get at the reef-band, &c., the yacht is kept 
head to sea and " hove to," by placing the tiller 
towards the lee-side of the yacht, or what is called 



62 Practical Boat-Sailing, 

" hard a-lee," where it is secured till the vessel is 
reefed, and started again on her way. In reefing, 
always haul out on the reef-pennant first, and 
stretch the foot of the sail, and then lash the luff 
next, and fasten the reef-points last. 

When the points are all tied, hoist away on the 
throat and peak-halliards, and set the sail. 

TO TAKE IN A SECOND REEF. 

Proceed in exactly the same manner, except that, 
in first commencing to reef, two reefs can be taken 
in one by lowering the sail to the second reef-band, 
and proceeding in exactly the same manner as in 
the first reef, except that the two extremities of the 
sail are lashed at the second reef-band cringles; 
and, in tying the reef-points, no notice is taken of 
the first reef-points, but they are stowed with the 
rest of the sail to the "boom, and are not tied. This 
taking two reefs in one is often done when caught 
suddenly and a great reduction of sail is needed 
at once ; and it is as useful and safe as if one reef 
above the other had been properly tied, the only 
difference being, that if the weather should moder- 
ate, so that the yacht would need but one reef, in- 
stead of the two she has in, nothing can be done, 
till the weather is enough settled to carry all sail, 
towards shaking out the two reefs in one, which 
would, of course, shake out the whole "sail : and 
valuable time may be lost for want of more sail. 



To Shake out a Reef, 63 

set; but, if it is really needed, the two reefs in 
one can be cast out, and a single reef taken in. 




Reefed SeUls 



TO SHAKE OUT A REEF. 



Bring the yacht to the wind in the same manner 
as for reefing, and unknot carefully all the reef- 
points y^rj-/, then cast off the lashing at the luff, and, 
lastly, the earing at the end of the boom. 



64 Practical Boat-Sailing. 



CHAPTER V. 

Signal-Lights. — The United-States Regulations for Steering and 
Sailing, and the Rules of the Road. — Fog-Signals. — Salutes. 

— Dipping Colors. — Conaing alongside. — Quarter-deck Eti- 
quette. — Useful Articles of Cabin Furniture. — Anchor Watch. 

— Method and System versus Disorder. 

SIGNAL-LIGHTS. 

In all night sailing it is important to know the 
direction in which any passing vessel is proceeding, 
and also to be able to give notice of the direction 
in which one's own yacht is sailing, or, if she be at 
anchor, to so denote, so as to avoid collisions ; and, 
for this purpose, law and custom have made certain 
fixed rules, the most important of which, and those 
that are necessary for usual contingencies, are here 
appended. 

RULES OF THE ROAD; OR, STEERING AND 
SAILING RULES OF THE UNITED STATES. 

Article 2. — The lights mentioned in the following ar- 
ticles, and no others, shall be carried in all weathers between 
sunset and sunrise. 



Rules of the Road. 65 

LIGHTS FOR STEAMSHIPS. 

Art. 3. — All steam vessels, when under way, shall carry 

{a.) At the foremast head a bright white light, so fixed as 
to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the 
horizon of twenty points of the compass ; so fixed as to throw 
the light ten points on each side of the ship, viz., from right 
ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side ; and of 
such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear 
atmosphere, at a distance of at least five miles. 

(b.) On the starboard side a green light, so constructed as 
to throw a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the 
horizon of ten points of the compass ; so fixed as to throw 
the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on 
the starboard side ; and of such a character as to be visible 
on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at 
least two miles. 

{c.) On the port side a red light, so constructed as to 
show a uniform, unbroken light over an arc of the horizon 
of ten points of the compass ; so fixed as to throw the light 
from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port 
side; and of such a character as to be visible on a dark 
night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two 
miles. 

Note. — To fix firmly in the mind the side of the vessel on which 
the lights belong, the following, although original, is recommended : 
Port wine is red, and the red light is always on the port side. 

{d.) The said green and red side-lights shall be fitted with 
inboard screens, projecting at least three feet forward from 
the light, so as to prevent these lights from being seen across 
the bow. 

LIGHTS FOR STEAM-TUGS. 

Art. 4. — Steamships, when towing other ships, shall 
carry two bright white masthead lights vertically, in addi- 
tion to their side-lights, so as to distinguish them from other 
steamships. 



66 Practical Boat-Sailing, 

LIGHTS FOR SAILING-VESSELS. 

Art. 5. — Sailing-vessels under way, or being towed, 
shall carry the same lights as steamships under way, with 
the exception of the white masthead lights, which they 
shall never carry. 

EXCEPTIONAL LIGHTS FOR SMALL SAILING-VESSELS. 

Art. 6. — Whenever, as in the case of small vessels dur- 
ing bad weather, the green and red lights cannot be fixed, 
these lights shall be kept on deck, on their respective sides 
of the vessel, ready for instant exhibition ; and shall, on the 
approach of or to other vessels, be exhibited on their re- 
spective sides in sufficient time to prevent collision, in such 
manner as to make them most visible, and so that the green 
light shall not be seen on the port side, nor the red light on 
the starboard side. To make the use of these portable 
lights more certain and easy, they shall each be painted out- 
side with the color of the light they respectively contain, 
and shall be provided with suitable screens. 

lights for SHIPS AT ANCHOR. 

Art. 7. — Ships, whether steamships or sailing-ships, 
when at anchor in roadsteads or fairways, shall, between 
sunset and sunrise, exhibit where it can best be seen, but at a 
height not exceeding twenty feet above the hull, a white 
light in a globular lantern of eight inches in diameter, and 
so constructed as to show a clear, uniform, and unbroken 
light visible all around the horizon, and at a distance of at 
least one mile. 

LIGHTS FOR PILOT-VESSELS. 

Art. 8. — Sailing pilot-vessels shall not carry the lights 
required for other sailing-vessels, but shall carry a white 
light at the mast-head, visible all around the 'horizon; and 
shall also exhibit a flare-up light every fifteen minutes. . 



Rules governing Fog-Signals. 67 

LIGHTS FOR FISHING VESSELS AND BOATS. 

Art. 9. — Open fishing-boats and other open boats shall 
not be required to carry side-lights required for other vessels, 
but shall, if they do not carry such lights, carry a lantern 
having a green slide on the one side, and a red slide on the 
other side ; and, on the approach of or to other vessels, such 
lantern shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent colli- 
sion ; so that the green light shall not be seen on the port 
side, nor the red light on the starboard side. Fishing-ves- 
sels and open boats when at anchor, or attached to their 
nets, and stationary, shall exhibit a bright white light. 
Fishing-vessels and open boats shall, however, not be pre- 
vented from using a flare-up light in addition, if considered 
expedient. 

RULES GOVERNING FOG-SIGNALS. 

FOG-SIGNALS. 

Art. 10. — Whenever there is a fog, whether by day or 
night, the fog-signals described below shall be carried and 
used, and shall be sounded at least every five minutes, 
viz. : — 

{a.) Steamships under way shall use a steam-whistle 
placed before the funnel, and not less than eight feet from 
the deck. 

{b.) Sailing-vessels under way shall use a fog-horn. 

(c.) Steamships and sailing-ships, when not under way 
shall use a bell. 

STEERING AND SAILING RULES. 

two SAILING-SHIPS MEEITNG. 

Art. II. — If two sailing-ships are meeting end on, or 
nearly end on, so as to involve risk of collision, the helms 
of both shall be put to port, so that each may pass on the 
port side of the other. 



6S Pi'actical Boat-Sailing. 

TWO SAILING-SHIPS CROSSING. 
Art. 12. — When two sailing-ships are crossing so as to 
involve risk of collision, then, if they have the wind on 
different sides, the ship with the wind on the port side shall 
keep out of the way of the ship with the wind on the star- 
board side, except in the case in which the ship with the 
wind on the port side is close-hauled, and the other ship 
free, in which case the latter ship shall keep out of the way. 
But if they have the wind on the same side, or if one of 
them has the wind aft, the ship which is to windward shall 
keep out of the way of the ship which is to leeward. 

SAILING-SHIP AND SHIP UNDER STEAM. 

Art. 15. — If two ships, one of which is a sailing-ship 
and the other a steamship, are proceeding in such directions 
as to involve risk of collision, the steamship shall keep out 
of the way of the sailing-ship. 

SHIPS UNDER STEAM TO SLACK SPEED. 

Art. 16. — Every steamship, when approaching another 
ship so as to involve "risk of collision, shall slacken her 
speed, or, if necessary, stop and reverse ; and every steam- 
ship shall, when in a fog, go at a moderate speed. 

VESSELS OVERTAKING OTHER VESSELS. 

Art. 17. — Every vessel overtaking any other vessel shall 
keep out of the way of the said last-mentioned vessel. 

CONSTRUCTION OF ARTICLES 12, 1 5, AND 1 7. 

Art. 18. — When, by the above rules, one of two ships 
is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course, 
subject to the qualifications contained in the following 
article : — 

PROVISO TO SAVE SPECIAL CASES. 

Art. 19. — In obeying and construing these rules, due 



Steering and Sailing Rules. 69 

regard must be had to all dangers of navigation, and due 
regard must also be had to any special circumstances which 
may exist in any particular case, rendering a departure 
from the above rules necessary in order to avoid immediate 
danger. 

NO SHIP UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TO NEGLECT 
PROPER PRECAUTIONS. 

Art. 20. — Nothing in these rules shall exonerate any 
ship, or the owner or master, or crew thereof, from the con- 
sequences of any neglect to carry lights or signals, or of 
any neglect to keep a proper lookout, or of the neglect of 
any precaution which may be required by the ordinary prac- 
tice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case. 

The following diagrams are designed to illustrate 
the use of the lights carried by vessels at sea as 
prescribed in the Regulations above, and the man- 
ner in which they indicate to each vessel the posi- 
tion and course of the other. 

Fig. I (when the red and green lights are both 
seen). — A sees a red and green light ahead. 
A knows that a vessel is approaching him on a 
course directly opposite to the one he is steering, 
as B. If A sees a white masthead light above the 
red and green lights, he knows that the vessel B is a 
steamer. A should put his helm to port ; and B, 
seeing the same lights on board of A, should by the 
same rule put his helm to port also. 

FiGo 2 (when the 7'ed light only is seen) . — A 
sees a red light ahead or on the port bow. A 



70 



P7'actical Boat-Sailing, 



Jt7 



jRi^Z. Q 




Ti^.^ 



Fig 5. 




Steering and Saili?ig Rules. 71 

knows that either, first, a vessel is approaching him 
on his port bow, as B, or, second, a vessel is cross- 
ing his bows to port in some direction, as D D' D'' 
(Fig. 3). If A sees a white masthead light dihove 
the red light, he knows that the vessel is a steamer, 
and is either approaching in the same direction as 
B (Fig 2), or is crossing to port in the same direc- 
tion as D D' D'' (Fig. 3). 

In the first position (Fig. 2) A sees B a little on 
the port bow, B's red light exposed, and, by the 
diagrams, B should see A's red light as well ; in 
which case both vessels should put their helms to 
port. 

In the second position (Fig. 3) A sees D on his 
starboard bow, and, firom the fact that he only sees 
D's red light, he knows that D must be steering in 
some direction, as at D D' D^' ; at the same time, 
D D' D'' will see A's greejt light on his port bow. 

In this case. A, having D clearly on his starboard 
bow, should put his helm to starboard to turn from 
D, and D, having A clearly on his port bow, should 
put his helm to port to turn to starboard from A. 

Fig. 4 (when the green light is seen, and the 
red light \^ not seen). — A sees di green light ahesid, 
or on his bow. A knows that either, first, a vessel is 
approaching him on his starboard bow, as B, or, 
second, that a vessel is crossing his bow in some 
direction to starboard, as D D' D" (Fig. 5). 

If A sees a white masthead light above the 



72 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

green light, A knows that the vessel is a steamer, 
and is either approaching him in the same direc- 
tion as B, or is crossing to starboard in some 
direction, as D D' D''. 

In the first position A sees B on his starboard 
bow, B's green light exposed, and, by the diagram, 
B should see A's green light as well ; in which case 
both vessels should put their helms to starboard. 

In the second position A sees D on his port bow, 
and, from the fact that he only sees D's green light, 
he knows that D must be steering in some direc- 
tion, as D D' D'' ; at the same time D will see A's 
red light on his starboard bow. In this case A, 
having D clearly on his port bow, should put his 
helm to port to turn from D ; and D, having A 
clearly on his starboard bow, should put his helm 
to starboard to turn to port from A. 

SALUTES. 

When lying in harbor in a well-ordered and dis- 
ciplined yacht, considerable ceremony is made in 
hauling down the colors at sunset, and hoisting 
them at sunrise. It is customary to have this done 
with great exactness, and to the very minute often, 
at which the sun rises or sets,, as ascertained by the 
nautical almanac, at the discharge of a swivel or 
small cannon ; when all the colors aloft, including 
the ensign and private signal, should commence to 
descend towards the deck together, and at the same 



Salutes. 73 

rate of speed. To execute this graceful ceremony 
it becomes necessary to post two hands at each of 
the signal-halHards, — one to haul down the color, 
the other to check it on its descent, so as to have 
it move with the same speed as the ensign, by 
which all other colors are regulated ; then, with two 
hands to each flag, with the signal-halliards cast off, 
and every thing clear, and ready to lower away, 
another hand 'is placed at the swivel, and when the 
second-hand of one's watch touches the minute of 
sunset, the command " Fire ! " is given, and down 
drop gracefully and slowly all the colors that are 
aloft. They may be set in the morning in the 
same way, or may be made up in a bundle on deck, 
and hoisted to their position aloft, when at a given 
signal, or discharge of a cannon, the stop is jerked 
asunder, and they are unfolded to the breeze at the 
same instant of time. This is a more graceful 
method than hoisting them up from deck, which, at 
the best, causes a jerky movement of the bunting. 

In a sloop-yacht the ensign is carried always at 
the peak, or end of the gaff, and the burgee, or 
private signal, at the topmast head. 

When passing a vessel at sea that has her colors 
set, it is always courtesy to bend on one's own, and, 
as the nearest point is reached, lower the ensign 
half way towards the deck, and then hoist it back 
again to its position at the peak. This is called 
" dipping the colors ; " and the smaller vessel 
should always be the one to offer the courtesy first. 



74 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

If a man-of-war is met, care should be taken to 
be always the first ; and here it is proper to dip 
one's ensign three times, as is' it also to any large 
and important vessel, such as an European steamer 
moving along in all her majesty : she will not 
neglect to answer the pohteness. 

In entering harbor, especially if there are other 
yachts lying at anchor, it has become customary, at 
the same moment that the anchor is dropped, to 
discharge a gun announcing one's arrival ; and, if 
there are other yachts present to whom the yacht is 
known, she will receive probably a salute from each 
in return. 

In coming alongside of a yacht at anchor, all 
persons who are not guests of the captain, or 
especially invited, or of some rank or consequence, 
should come to the port gangway. The starboard- 
side of a vessel at anchor is the captain's side, as is 
that side of the deck which is the windward-side 
when she is under way. Ladies always come on 
board on the starboard-side, if the yacht be large 
enough to enter into all these niceties of quarter- 
deck etiquette. 

Every yacht that is large enough to admit of it 
should be fitted with a ship's clock with watch 
movement, a swinging-lamp, and an aneroid barom- 
eter ; all of which are of great use, — the clock 
to give the time which courses have bee'n sailed ; 
the lamp, light to the chart upon the table ; and the 
barometer, admonition of a change in the weather. 



Ancho?-- Watch. 75 

It is of great importance that an " anchor-watch," 
as it is called, should be kept on all yachts, for 
many reasons. For instance, to see that none of the 
sails get adrift in the night, should it come on to 
blow; and to see that the anchor holds well, or 
to pay out more cable, if necessary ; to watch the 
lantern in the fore-rigging, and take care that it 
does not go out, leaving the yacht at the mercy of 
the first lumber-man that may come pitching into 
her. 

Do not anchor too near the shore, so that good 
sea-room cannot be obtained, should it be desired 
to get under way, to run out of the harbor, or to 
pay out cable to hold on. 

It is very easy to get on shore in a tender, with 
the yacht well out, but very hard to make an inch 
sometimes, when it becomes a lee-shore. 

These may seem trivial matters to be so careful 
about ; but it is looking out for all contingencies, 
and yet being without a particle of fear, that makes 
the true yachtman, — always ready, and every thing 
always on hand. It is for this very reason of being 
prepared, that fear is driven out ; whilst, with the 
careless one, in times of emergency the ropes foul, 
the gaskets are missing, the anchor is not bent 
on, the lamp wants oil, the lead-line can't be found, 
and the jib-halliards, not being properly belayed and 
coiled down, unreve from the masthead block, 
and every thing is " at sixes and at sevens." 



^6 Pi-actical Boat-Sailing. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Cross-Bearings. — Two Examples. — Table of Proportional Dis- 
tances. — Table for Determining the Distance that an Object 
at Sea can be seen in Statute Miles. — Determining Distance 
by the Flash of a Gun. — To find the Difference between the 
True and Apparent Direction of the Wind. — To find the 
Distance of an Object on Shore trom the Yacht, by two Bear- 
ings of the Compass. — Use of the Charts. — Soundings. — 
Lead Line. — Eight Bells and Watch and Watch. — Boxing 
the Compass. — Velocity of the Wind. — The Log Reel and 
Half-minute Glass. — Buoys. 

CROSS-BEARINGS. 

Perhaps there is nothing more useful in simple 
coast-sailing and entering harbors than to know- 
how to find one's exact position upon the chart, at 
a moment's notice, by means of taking what is 
called cross-bearings. Nothing is necessary for 
this purpose, but a pair of parallel-rulers, a com- 
pass, and a sight of any two well-defined objects in 
view, that may be known upon the chart by their 
general relative positions, such as lighthouses, light- 
ships, buoys, churches, headlands, &c. ' 

The parallel-rulers are two rulers attached by 



Cross-Bearings. 77 

means of two brass swivels, so that- they can be 
moved over the surface of a chart in any parallel 
direction to that from which they are first started ; 
and are used to define direction upon any part of 
the chart. For instance, being placed upon the 
printed compass upon the chart, say upon the line of 
N.W. and S.E., they can be moved about the chart, 
carrying this same direction N.W. and S.E., to any 
other part of 'the chart. The two objects decided 
upon to be taken should be in such a direction as 
to form somewhat nearly a right angle with the 
yacht to obtain the most perfect results. All de- 
pends upon the aptitude with which the observer 
can line the object to be observed, i.e., its bearing 
by compass. 

The writer knows of nothing so important and 
useful as this simple method of knowing just 
where one is at any moment, and thus be enabled 
to know just how to steer to avoid all dangers. 
These sights, or cross-bearings, can be taken every 
ten minutes with ease in fine weather, and the posi- 
tion of the yacht exactly defined. 

Example I. (see diagram. Fig. i). — Bring the 
compass in its box on deck (it should be of large 
size, so as to guide the eye ; and small pocket-com- 
passes are useless for this purpose), and, standing 
behind it, line with the eye with great care the bear- 
ing of the north lighthouse by the compass, this 
we will suppose to be N.W. by N. ; mark this upon 



78 



Practical Boat-Sailing. 



Zi^htfto. 




per, refer to the chart, 



a slip of paper, and then move the person so as 
to see the south hghthouse in the same way across 
the face of the compass, 
which is ahvays between 
the observer and the ob- 
ject to be observed ; and 
Hne the bearing of this 
Hghthouse by compass, in 
the same manner, which 
we will suppose to be 
S.W. With these two 
results marked upon pa- 
and place the parallel- 
rulers upon the printed compass, designed upon the 
chart, upon the Hne of N.W. by W. and S.E. by S. 
(its opposite), and move them by means of the 
pivots till one part of them rests upon north light- 
house ; then draw -a line of indefinite length upon 
the chart. Take up the rulers, and in the same 
manner place them upon the printed compass on 
the chart, on the line of S.W. and N.E., and carry 

them forward, keeping 
this angle, till some part 
rests upon south light- 
house ; then draw a line 
which will at some point 
intersect the former line, 
which, if the bearings have been correctly taken, 
will be the exact position of the yacht at the time 
of the observation. 




Cross-Bearings. 79 

It will be shown too, by experiment, that consid- 
erable variation of the bearings, when the angle is 
large, may be made, without changing very much 
the position of the yacht, proving how valuable 
this process is for practical use, as a considerable 
error in the bearings will still enable one to know 
almost exactly the position of the yacht ; whilst a 
good observation will give it exact. 

Example II. (see diagram Fig. 2) . — Placing the 
compass in front of the observer, it is found that the 
lighthouse bears W. by compass, and that the light- 
ship bears S. W. by S. With these two bearings we 
consult the chart, and lay off the two hnes by means 
of the parallel-rulers ; and, if the chart gives the dis- 
tance in miles of the lightship from the lighthouse, 
then, by means of a common rule of equal parts, 
we shall be able to measure the distance of the 
yacht from the lighthouse or from the lightship. At 
the foot of most charts, however, will be found a 
scale of miles, and, having once ascertained the 
exact position of the yacht by means of cross- 
bearings, it will be very easy, with a pair of dividers, 
to find its distance in miles from any desired 
object within view, or designed upon the chart, 
and, by the use of the parallel-rulers, the course, 
by compass, that should be sailed to reach any 
desired point. 

It is often useful to know how many geographical 
or nautical miles, which measure at the equator 



8o 



Practical Boat-Sailim 



6,086.4 feet in length, are contained in a degree of 
longitude at different latitudes ; that is to say, a 
degree of longitude east or west of 89° N. latitude 
is only i .05 nautical mile in length ; and yet, in 
another sense, this 1,05 is 60 miles, or one degree 
in length : hence the following table : — 

A TABLE SHOWING, FOR EVERY DEGREE OF LATITUDE, 
HOW MANY MILES DISTANT THE TWO MERIDIANS ARE 
WHOSE DIFFERENCE OF LONGITUDE IS ONE DEGREE. 



Lat. 


Miles. 


Lat. 


Miles. 


Lat. 


Miles. 


Lat. 


Miles. 


15 


57-96 


26 


53-93 


37 


47.92 


48 


40.15 


16 


57.68 


27 


53-46 


38 


47.28 


49 


39.36 


17 


57-38 


28 


52.98 


39 


46.63 


50 


38.57 


18 


57.06 


29 


52.48 


40 


45.96 


51 


37.76 


19 


56-73 


30 


51.96 


41 


45.28 


52 


36.94 


20 


56-38 


31 


51.43 


42 


44-59 


53 


36.11 


21 


56.01 


32 


50.88 


43 


43.88 


54 


35.27 


22 


55-63 


33 


50.32 


44 


43.16 


55 


34.41 


23 


55-23 


34 


49.74 


45 


42.43 


56 


33.55 


24 


54.81 


35 


49-15 


46 


41.68 


57 


32.68 


25 


54-38 


36 


48.54 


47 


40.92 


58 


31.80 



Distance that Objects can 



See ft at Sea. 8i 



TABLE FOR DETERMINING THE DISTANCE THAT OB- 
JECTS AT. SEA CAN BE SEEN IN STATUTE MILES. 



Note. — Enter the table in the column of height in feet, which repre- 
sents the height of the observer above the sea ; and opposite to it, in the 
column of miles, will be the result. 



z 




z 


- 


g 




z 




2 




z 






w 
ij 








i 


w 








(d 


u 
J 

^ 


I 


1.32 


13 


4-77 


25 


6.61 


37 


8.05 


49 


g.26 


105 


13-56 


2 


1.87 


14 


4-95 


26 


6.75 


38 


8.16 


50 


9-35 


no 


13.88 


3 


2.29 


15 


5.12 


27 


6.87 


39 


8.26 


55 


9.81 


115 


14.19 


4 


2.65 


16 


5-29 


28. 


7.00 


40 


8.37 


60 


10.25 


120 


14.49 


5 


2.96 


17 


5-45 


29 


7. 12 




8.47 


65 


10.67 


125 


14.79 


>6 


3-24 


18 


5.61 


30 


7-25 




8.57 


70 


11.07 


130 


15.08 


7 


3-50 


19 


5-77 


31 


7-37 




8.68 


75 


11.46 


135 


15-37 


8 


3-74 


20 


5-92 


32 


7.48 




8.78 


80 


ir.83 


140 


15.65 


9 


3-97 


21 


6.06 


33 


7.60 




8.87 


85 


12.20 


145 


15-93 


lO 


4.18 


22 


6.21 


34 


7.71 


46 


8.97 


90 


12. 5 


150 


16.20 


II 


4-39 


23 


6.34 


35 


7-83 


47 


9.07 


95 


12. f 


160 


16.73 


12 


4.58 


24 


6.48 


36 


7-94 


48 


9.17 


100 


13-23 


170 


17.25 



Example I. — Sailing along in the yacht ^' Fire- 
fly," from the top of the house on which I was 
standing, which brought my eyes to about 1 2 feet 
above the level of the sea, I observed seaward the 
head of a gafl" topsail that evidently belonged to a 



82 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

yacht of about ten tons, and was therefore esti- 
mated to be about 45 feet from the level of the sea. 
How far were these vessels from each other? 
In the table, 

Opposite 12 feet stands .... 4.58 miles 
Opposite 45 feet stands .... 8.87 

Distance apart 13-45 miles 

Example II. — Sailing towards the land, I mount- 
ed the shrouds of my yacht till my eye was about 
16 feet above the level of the ocean, where I sighted 
the top of a known lighthouse that I was looking 
for, which the chart informed me was 145 feet 
above the level of the sea. Required the distance 
of the lighthouse. 

In the table. 

Opposite 16 feet stands . . ., .5.29 miles 
Opposite 145 feet stands . . . . 15.93 

Distance 21.22 miles 

Upon seeing the flash of a gun I counted jo seconds 
by a watch before I heard the report. How far 
was the gun from 7ne, supposing that sound moves 
at the rate of 1,142 feet per second? 

The velocity of light is so, great, that the seeing 
of any act done, even at the distance of a number 
of miles, is instantaneous. But by observation it is 
found that sound moves at the rate of 1,142 feet 



Di?'ectio?i of the Wind. 83 

per second, or about one statute mile in 4.6 sec- 
onds : consequently the number of seconds elapsed 
between seeing the flash and hearing the report 
being divided by 4.6 will give the distance in statute 
miles. In the present example the distance was 
about 6J miles, because 30 divided by 4.6 gives 
6 J nearly. 

To find the differe7ice between the true and appar- 
ent direction of the wind. 

Suppose that a yacht moves in the direction C B 
from C to B, while the wind moves in its true direc- 
tion from A to B, the effect on the boat ^ 
will be the same as if she be at rest, and 
the wind blow in the direction A C with 
a velocity represented by A C, the ve- 
locity of the yacht being represented by 
B C. In this case, the angle BAG will 
represent the difference between the true 
and apparent direction of the wind, the -^ 
apparent being more ahead than the true ; and, 
the faster the vessel goes, the more ahead the wind 
^^all appear to be. We must, however, except the 
case where the wind is directly aft, in which case 
the direction is not altered. 

It is owing to the difference between the true 
and apparent directions of the wind that it appears 
to shift its direction by tacking ship ; and if the 
difference of the directions be observed when on 



Practical Boat-Sailins[. 



different boards (the wind on both tacks being 
supposed to remain constant, and the yacht to have 
the same velocity, and to sail at the same distance 
from the wind), the half-difference will be equal 
to the angle BAG. By knowing this, together with 
the velocity of the yacht B C, and the angle B C A, 
we may obtain the true velocity of the wind ; or by 
knowing the velocity of the wind and of the yacht, 
and the apparent direction of the wind, we may 
calculate the difference between the true and appar- 
ent directions of the wind. 

Thus, if the velocity of a yacht, represented by 
B C, be 7 miles per hour, ihat of the wind, repre- 
sented by A B, 2 7 miles per hour, and the angle 
with the yacht's course, with the apparent direction 
of the wind B C A, equal to 7 J points, the differ- 
ence between the true and apparent directions of 
the wind will be obtained by drawing the line B C, 
equal to 7|- points ; then with an extent equal to 
2 7 miles, taken from the scale, and with one foot in 
B, describe an arc, to cut the line AC in A ; join 
A B ; then the angle BAG, being measured, will be 
the required difference between the true and ap- 
parent directions of the wind. 

Sailing in my yacht, I saw a lighthouse bearing E. 
by N., and, after sailing 14. miles N. by W., it 
bore S. E. Required the distance of the yacht 
from the lighthouse at both stations. 



Use of the Cha7'ts. 



85 




Solution. — Describe the compass E. S. W., and 
let its centre X represent the place of the yacht at 
the first station; draw the N. by W. line, X Y, 
equal to 14 miles, and Y will represent the second 
station. ^ 

Draw the hne E. by N., 
XZ, of an indefinite 
length, and the line YZ 
parallel to the S. E. and 
N. W. Hne of the compass : 
the point of intersection 
Z will represent the place 
of the lighthouse, and the 
distance Y Z, being meas- 
ured by the same scale 
of equal parts with which the 14 miles of course is 
laid off, will be found to be 16 j miles, and XZ 9J 
miles. 

USE OF THE CHARTS. 

Charts can be purchased, at a very reasonable 
rate, of all the important harbors and the whole 
coast-line of the United States. They come nicely 
backed with cloth, so as to stand considerable hard 
sea-usage. They should be kept, when not in use, 
rolled up in a large tin box made for the purpose, 
or a long, narrow wooden trunk, called a chart-box. 

In using charts, great care should be taken to see 
whether or not the courses laid down to be sailed 
are magnetic ones ; that is, with the variation of the 



86 Practical Bo at- Sailing. 

compass allowed. Such is usually the case ; but 
there are charts made where the variation of the 
compass must be allowed to make the courses true. 

Always carefully read all the notes upon the mar- 
gins of a chart : one will often run across an item 
of the greatest interest or importance. Nearly all 
charts of harbors and the coast-Hne will be found 
with two scales of miles upon them ; one being 
marked statiUe miles, and the other nautical miles. 

Now, the difference is this, the scale that is 
marked statute miles means a mile of 320 rods of 
\(i\ feet each, or 1,760 yards of 3 feet • each, or 
5,280 feet; whilst a nautical mile means the six- 
tieth part of a degree of the earth's surface meas- 
ured at the equator, which is about 6,086.4 feet in 
length. 

SOUNDINGS 

Are very regular upon the American coast ; and 
if the time of tide be known, and the note concern- 
ing soundings, on the margin of the chart, con- 
sulted, one can often, when caught in a fog, tell 
quite correctly the position of the yacht, its gen- 
eral place upon the chart being known. 

The Lead-Line. — For the purpose of getting 
soundings, the lead-Hne must be used, of which 
there are two kinds, — the dipsey lead, i.e., the deep- 
sea lead, and the hand lead. The .deep-sea lead 
consists of a lead sinker, usually about twenty-five 
pounds in weight, the lower part of which is hoi- 



The Lead-Line. 87 

lowed out, and filled with tallow, when it is said to 
be arnied : this is for the purpose of bringing up a 
specimen of the bottom which it strikes upon in its 
descent, often thus aiding the navigator in deter- 
mining his position. The line to which this lead 
is attached is coiled up in a half-barrel or tub, and 
is usually a hundred fathoms in length, a fathom 
being six feet. ' It is generally as large as one's litde 
finger, and is 'laid up in what sailors call a " left- 
handed coil," the opposite to most other ropes in 
common use. It is marked up to twenty fathoms 
in the same manner as the hand lead-line, and 
then one knot for ever)^ ten fathoms, and a strip of 
leather for each five fathoms. The manner of cast- 
ing the deep-sea lead is to bring the yacht to the 
wind, and as nearly stationary as possible, when 
tlie lead is taken by hand outside of all the rigging, 
forward on the weather-side, the tub remaining aft ; 
the person forward then casts the lead as far as 
possible ahead of the yacht, singing out at the 
same moment, "Watch! Oh, watch!" and the 
person aft at the tub allows the line to be taken 
out by the lead in its descent as fast as possible ; 
and when it reaches the bottom he hauls it care- 
fully up till his hand hits upon the knots, the num- 
ber of which determines the depth ; the yacht is 
then kept on her course, and the hne hauled in 
Over the stern, and coiled down in the tub, as it 
comes in, for immediate use again. When the lead 



SS Practical Boat-Sailing. 

arrives on deck, it is unbent from the lead-line, the 
arming examined and scraped off, ready for a new 
cast. 

Heaving the Hand Lead. — The hand lead is 
used in a different manner, and is the most perfect 
instrument yet devised to warn the yachtsman or 
sailor of unknown dangers and the rapid shoaling 
of the water, or approach to some unknown or 
unexpected shoal. 

Custom has, from time immemorial, marked the 
lead-line in a peculiar and, the writer does not hesi- 
tate to say, ridiculous manner, which can be under- 
stood by the initiated only. But that it may be 
done according to "Gunter," and in "ship-shape 
and Bristol fashion," the following explanation is 
given : — 

Heaving the lead is done usually by a person 
who is placed in the main-chains for that purpose, 
on the weather side, or, in smaller craft, on deck, 
forward, just- clear of the shrouds. It is thrown 
whilst the yacht is under way, and being kept on her 
course, and the results announced in a singing voice 
by the one casting ; and, when the water becomes 
too shoal, the yacht is put about, and stands off 
from the danger which she was approaching. The 
one casting the lead takes hold of the line at about 
a fathom from it, and swings it to and fro till 
enough velocity is gained to swing it over his head ; 
when at the right angle it is released, and flies for- 



Heaving the Hand Lead. 



89 



ward in the air, striking the water far in advance of 
the yacht and the bottom, before the yacht reaches 
the place where it struck the water, so that the Hne 
may be kept perpendicular for a moment from the 
yacht to the bottom of the sea, and the distance 
measured by means of marks upon the lead-line, 



which are as 


tOll( 


3\vs : 


— 




At I fathom . . 


. one knot. 


2 " 








. two knots. 


3 " 








. three knots. 


4 " 

5 " 

6 " 

7 " 

8 " 








. nothing. 
. a white rag. 
. nothing. 
. a red rag. 
. nothing. 


9 " 








. nothing. 


10 " 








. leather with one hole. 


. II " 








. one knot. 


12 " 








. two knots. 


13 " 








. nothing. 


14 " 

15 " 








. nothing. 
. white rag. 


16 « 








. nothing. 


17 " 

18 " . 

19 " 

20 « 








. red rag. 
. nothing. 
. nothing. 
. leather with two holes 



Those that are marked are called "marks," the 
Others, " deeps ; " and a lead-line as above consists 
of eleven " marks " and nine " deeps." 

If the mark of three fathoms is near the surface 



9© Practical Boat-Sailing. 

of the water, the caster sings out, " By the mark 
three!" or, if such be the case, "By the deep 
eight ! " and, should he consider the depth to be a 
quarter or half more than any particular number, 
he sings out, "And a quarter six!" or, "A half 
five ! " &c. If the depth is estimated to be three- 
quarters more than any particular number, he calls 
it a quarter less than the next higher number; 
thus, at two fathoms and three-quarters, he sings 
out, " A quarter less three ! " 

For all practical purposes a lead-line twenty 
fathoms in length, but marked only to ten fathoms, 
will be the most useful for yachts and small sail- 
boats. This line should be marked as follows : — 

At I fathom one knot. 

2 " ..... two knots. 

3 " three knots. 

4 " ..-.., four knots. 

5 " ..... white rag. 

6 " six knots. 

7 " red rag, 

8 " blue rag. 

9 " . . . . . nothing. 

10 " piece of leather. 

A small piece of white rag may also be inserted at 
the half-fathoms between two and three. 

EIGHT BELLS, AND WATCH AND WATCH. 

Time at sea is divided differently than on shore ; 
and the day commences at twelve o'clock, noon. 



Eight Bells, and Watch and IVatch. 91 

The reason of this is, that at that time usually, at 
sea, the navigator determines and ascertains the 
position of the ship, hence the true time ; and the 
clock is corrected from the difference in longitude 
from noon of the preceding day. 

The time of twelve o'clock is denoted by strik- 
ing the vessel's bell eight times in a peculiar man- 
ner, thus : by sets of twos, one, two, rapidly follow- 
ing each other, then a pause of three or four 
seconds, and then the next set of twos, thus : one, 
two — one, two — one, two — one, two ; whilst 
seven bells would be struck thus : one, two — one, 
two — one, two — one ; and three bells : one, two 
— one ; four bells : one, two — one, two. 

This system of eight strokes of the bell does for 
the whole twenty-four hours, each stroke denoting 
one half-hour : hence eight bells cover a space of 
four hours, which is termed a watch, and, if each 
watch was four hours long, of course there would 
be six such watches in the twenty-four hours ; and 
the crew, divided as they always are into starboard 
and port watches, would, during the whole voyage, 
have just the same hours on deck. That is to say, 
the starboard watch would come on deck at twelve 
o'clock noon every day of the voyage, and stay till 
four P.M. 

This would not be fair to the other watch ; and to 
avoid this repetition, and to divide the time differ- 
ently each day, the hours from four to eight in the 



92 



Practical Boat-Sailing. 



afternoon are divided up into what are called dog- 
watches of two hours each, which breaks up the 
daily regularity, and changes the hours ; so that the 
starboard watch who happen to be on deck from 
twelve to four p.m. one day are the next day below 
during the same hours, and the port watch on 
deck ; and thus the same watches come round every 
forty-eight hours. After the bell is struck at twelve 
noon by order of the navigator or sailing-master, 
the time will be kept as follows : — 



I2.00 o'clock, noon 



12.30 




1. 00 




r.30 




2.00 




.2.30 




3.00 




-^■z^ 




4.00 




4-30 




5.00 




5-30 




6.00 




6.30 




7.00 




7-30 




8.00 





P.M. 



8 bells. 




I bell. ^ 




2 bells. 




3 " 




4 " 

5 " 


Afternoon^ 
Watch. 


6 " 




7 " 




8 " J 




I bell. > 




2 bells. 


First Dog- 


3 " 


watch. 


4 " ^ 




5 " ^ 

6 " 

7 " 

8 " ) 


Second 


> Dog- 
watch. 



Eight Bells, and Watch and Watch, 93 



8.300 

9.00 


'clock, 


P.M. . 






1 bell. . 

2 bells. 




9-30 

10.00 

10.30 

11.00 


(( 

IC 

a 








. 3 " 

4 " 

5 " 
. 6 " 


First 
. Night- 
Watch. 


11.30 
12.00 




midnigh 


t 




7 " 
. 8 " , 




12.30 

1. 00 




A.M. . 






1 bell. ^ 

2 bells. 




1.30 

2.00 

2.30 
3.00 


ce 
a 
u 








3 " 

. 4 " 

5 " 
. 6 " 


Second 

Night- 

" Watch. 


3-30 

4.00 










. 8 " J 




4-30 
5.00 










. I bell. ^ 
2 bells. 




"5-30 

6.00 
6.30 

7.00 










. 3 " 

. 4 " 

. 5 " 

6 " 


Morning 
Watch. 


7-30 
8.00 


(C 

u 








7 " 

8 " J 




8.30 


li 








I bell. > 




9.00 


11 








2 bells. 




9-30 
10.00 


11 
11 








3 " 

4 " 


Fore7toon 


10.30 


11 








5 " 


' Watch. 


11.00 


u 








6 " 




11.30 
12.00 


li 
il 


noon 






7 " 

8 " J 





94 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

In cases of emergency, usually to take in sail, 
whether by night or day, "All hands on deck to 
take in sail, ahoy ! " " Heave up my hearties ! " is 
bellowed into the forecastle, and comes to the ears 
of the unwilling sleepers of the watch below. 

BOXING THE COMPASS 

Is the term used for repeating the thirty-two points 
of the compass-card by memory from the right 
hand to the left, and then back again, commencing 
at north, and proceeding to north by east, north, 
north-east, &c. It is necessary that the amateur 
and young salt should acquire this, if he desires to 
ever be able to make use of the most simple prob- 
lems in boat-sailing, the use of the charts, the find- 
ing of the position of the yacht by cross-bearings, 
&c. In fact, it is indispensable ; and the task should 
be commenced at once. It should not be gotten 
by rote, without rhyme or reason ; but, in repeating 
the names of the points, the compass-card^ or a 
pjinted imitation of it, should always be kept before 
the eye. 

After acquiring the regular thirty-two points, the 
subdivision of quarter and half points are to be gone 
into. The smallest division used in navigation is a 
quarter of a point ; thus your course may be N. by 
E. \ E., or N. by E. \ E., or N. by E. | E. ; but 
no smaller subdivision is ever made be4:ween two 
points than one-quarter of a point. This is as near 



Boxing the Compass. 



95 



as the yacht can be kept to her course, and is as 
near as the eye can Hne a course in an observation 
for cross-bearings. If, however, one desires more 
minuteness, it may be well to state that each point 
of the compass contains ii° 15', or 360° for the 
whole thirty-two points. The names of the points 
of the compass, commencing at north, and going 
towards east, are as follows. The principal points^ 
as they are called, which are marked larger than the 
others on the compass-card, are here designated by 
capitals. 



I. NORTH . . 








. N. 


2. North by east . 








. N. byE. 


3. North, north-east 








-. N.N.E. 


4. North-east by north 








. N.E. byN. 


5. North-east . 








. N.E. 


^- North-east by east 








. N.E. byE. 


7. East, north-east 








. E.N.E. 


8. East by north . 








. E. byN. 


9. EAST . 








. E. 


10. East by south . 








. E. byS. 


II. East, south-east 








. E.S.E. 


12. South-east by east 








. S.E. byE. 


13. South-east 








. S.E. 


14. South-east by south 








. S.E. by S. 


15. South, south-east 








. S.S.E. 


16. South by east . 








. S. byE. 


17. SOUTH . 








. S. 


18. South by west . 








. S.byW. 


19. South, south-west 








. S.S.W. 


20. South-west by south 






. S.W. byS. 


21. South-west . 








. S.W. 



96 



Practical Boat-Sailing. 



22. South-west by west , 






. S.W. byW. 


23. West, south-west 






. W.S.W. 


24. West by south . 






. W. byS. 


25. WEST . 






. W. 


26. West by north . 






. W. byN. 


27. West, north-west 






. W.N.W. 


28. North-west by west . 






. N.W. byW 


29. North-west . 






. N.W. 


30. North-west by north 






. N.W. byN. 


31. North, north-west . 






. N.N.W. 


32. North by west . 






. N. byW. 



If any one desires to be very salt, he will pro- 
nounce these points as follows : — 



Nor', nor'-west 
Noothe by east 
Sou' by west . 
Sou', sou'-west 



N. N.W. 
N. by E. 
S. by W. 
S. S.W. 



And, in fact, the above is the way that they are 
pronounced by all sailors. 

It should be remembered that the compass does 
not move ; that is to say, the yacht moves, which 
seemingly makes the card in the compass-box re- 
volve. It is absolutely an optical illusion to "land- 
lubbers ; " and except by the jar of the yacht, 
or by pitching about in a heavy sea, the compass- 
card does not revolve, but is stationary, and it is 
the change of the course of the yacht which seems 
to give it motion. 



To. Place a Compass to Steer by. 97 

TO PLACE A COISIPASS TO STEER BY. 

The periphery of the circular casing in which 
the card revolves should be marked plainly with 
a perpendicular black line ; and this black line 
should, by moving the compass-box, be brought to 
bear in a direct hne with the keel of the yacht, and 
the box secured in that position. One has then 
only to move the helm to bring each and every 
point on the compass-card opposite to this black 
mark on the compass-box, and, having once brought 
the point needed to this position, keep it there by 
moving the helm when necessary ; and this act of 
keeping it there is called " keeping the vessel on 
her course." 

For instance : if the wind allows, suppose by the 
chart it is desired to steer N.E., to reach a cer- 
tain place. Go on deck, and, by moving the helm, 
bring the N.E. point of the compass-card oppo- 
site to the black perpendicular mark on the com- 
pass-casing, and keep on your way, after having 
trimmed your sails so as to hold the wind properly. 
The yacht will not keep on N.E. exactly, but will 
yaw to and fro, which will seem as if the compass- 
card was moving; and this will occur more or less 
according to the roughness of the water. And, if 
one looks too much to the compass, the yacht will 
be off the course before the compass shows it : 
it is therefore well, if possible, to get some bearing, 



98 Practical Boat Sailing. 

miles ahead, that cuts the weather-shrouds or jib- 
stay, when the boat is on her course \ then, by look- 
ing at that, one can easily see when she is off her 
course, casting an eye to the compass once in a 
while. In the night-time very fine steering can be 
done by picking out a star, and steering by it, after 
getting it to range on some part of the yacht. Steer- 
ing by a compass is a great accomplishment : few 
amateurs do it well. It used to be said at sea, that 
the best helmsmen looked at the head of the vessel 
oftener than the compass, and were thus enabled to 
check with the helm any disposition of the vessel 
to leave the true course, long before the departure 
was shown by the compass-card. 

VELOCITY OF WIND. 

Generally speaking, a wind that blows sixteen 
miles an hour is called a fresh breeze. One that 
blows eighteen miles an hour calls for a single reef; 
and twenty miles, a close reef. Twenty-four miles 
an hour is a gale ; whilst thirty miles an hour is a 
fresh gale. 

THE LOG, REEL, AND HALF-MINUTE GLASS. 

This method of ascertaining how fast the yacht 
is moving through the water, and hence to calculate 
her position, has been almost done away with by 
the use of what is termed the "patent log," which is 
now almost universally used, and which consists of 



The Log, Reel, and Half-Minute Glass. 99 

a small propeller of brass, which is towed astern, 
and records its own revolutions on dials. But, to 
enable one to use the common log-line and glass, 
the following description is written : The half- 
minute" glass is of the same form as an hour-glass, 
and contains such a quantity of sand as will run 
through its neck in twenty-eight seconds of time ; 
or a watch with a second-hand may be used, if the 
glass is not handy. The log is a piece of thin 
board of a quadrantal form, about the size and 
shape of a quarter-section of the bottom of a com- 
mon water-pail, loaded on the circular side with 
enough lead to make it swim upright in the water. 
To this is fastened a line, about one hundred and 
fifty fathoms in length, called the log-line, which is 
divided into intervals called knots, and is wound on 
a reel which turns very easily. 

To ascertain the velocity at which the yacht is 
sailing is called heaving the log, and is performed 
as follows : one person holds the reel, and another 
the half- minute glass, whilst a third throws the log 
over the stern on the lee side ; and, when he ob- 
serves that the stray line has run off (which is 
about ten fathoms), and the first mark (which is 
generally a red rag) has passed the stern, he sings 
out, Turn : the glass-holder answers. Turn, and, 
watching the glass, the moment it has run out, sings 
out. Stop. The reel being immediately stopped, the 
last mark run off shows the number of knots that 



loo Practical Boat- Sailing. 

the yacht has sailed during the last hour, if the 
wind has been constant. 

The log-line is marked as follows : allow ten 
fathoms for stray line, and then insert a red rag, and 
at every 47.6 feet mark the line as follows : at one, 
one leather ; at two, two knots ; at three, three 
knots ; and also have a small mark at each half- 
knot, and so on to ten and twelve knots. 

The principle of the log-line is, that a knot is 
the same part of a sea-mile that half a minute is of 
an hour : therefore the length of a knot should be 
one hundred and twentieth the length of a sea- 
mile, or fifty-one feet ; but, as it is more convenient 
to have the knot divided into eight parts of six. feet 
each, the proportional reduction is necessary in the 
half- minute glass. 

BUOYS. 

In entering harbors, the red buoys are to be left 
upon the starboard hand, and the black buoys upon 
the port hand. 



Practical Hints on Boat-Sailing. loi 



CHAPTER VII. 

PRACTICAL HINTS ON BOAT- SAILING. 

Remember, in the first place, that no small boat 
fit to be called a sail-boat can capsize, unless the 
sail is confined by the sheet being made fast. 

If the sail is loose, and the boom, "or lower leach 
of the sail, as the case may be, can move in a 
direction parallel to the wind, or in the "wind's 
eye " as sailors would say, the boat cannot be upset 
by an ordinary gust of wind. 

In other words, in all fore-and-aft sails, such as 
are used almost the world over for small sail-boats, 
the sheet, or rope that confines the after-part of the 
sail to the stern-part of the boat, is the key to the 
whole science of boat-sailing. 

If one knows how to use the sheet properly, 
one knows how to sail a boat with comparative 
safety. Of course it is supposed that he should 
also understand flaws of wind and their effects. 

It is the flaws of wind caught by the sail — more 
than it can bear — that capsize a boat ; and, if the 



I02 Practical Boat-Sailins. 



wind that has force enough to do this could be 
" spilled " out of the sail, the boat would be imme- 
diately reheved. 

Therefore to insure safety, the person steering a 
boat should never belay the sheet, but keep it in 
hand, so as to be able to slack it off gradually, or 
cast it off entirely at a moment's notice. To do 
this, only one turn should be taken round the cleat ; 
so that the sheet will slip under the force of a gust 
of wind, when the hand retaining it in place slack- 
ens it in the slightest degree. 

If the whole sail points towards the wind's eye, 
it no longer has any effect upon the boat. The 
sail then shakes in the wind exactly as a flag does 
from the top of a flag-staff, the wind passing by on 
both sides. Should the sheet be hauled aft, the 
sail would be filled with wind upon one side, and, if 
the wind had strength to overcome the gravity of 
the boat, capsize her. 

Or, if the boat is so heavy ballasted that its gravi- 
ty cannot be readily overcome, the mast or sail are 
liable to be carried away, and danger incurred on 
account of the towing mast and sail. These would 
most likely draw the boat into the trough of the 
sea, where she would be swamped almost instandy. 

It does not follow, because the slacking of the 
sheet is a safe thing to do, that it should always be 
done. With boatmen who are thoroughly prac- 
tised, it seldom is done ; for they can obtain the 



Practical Hints on Boat- Sailing. 103 

same result with the rudder by bringing the boat 
into the wind until the sail shakes, with the sheet 
still fast. This gives more control of the boat than 
would be the case if the boom were out to leeward, 
perhaps dragging in the water, on account of the 
pressure of the wind upon the hull and mast. 

The very best thing to do in a sudden squall is to 
use a modification of both these methods ; i.e., slack 
off the sheet fOr a foot or two, so that the sail, before 
it can fill with wind, will be at such an angle with 
the hull, that the shock upon the latter cannot be 
great. This gives one more command of the boat, 
and insures quicker movement of the hull, and 
hence quicker obedience to the helm, should a 
sudden change occur. This slacking of the sheet 
also prevents the boat from going about on the 
other tack, should she be brought too suddenly to 
the wind. 

With an experienced hand at the helm, unless 
the squall is very severe, there is no need of luffing 
so as to shake the sail to any great degree. The 
slightest movement of the tiller will keep the sail 
just quivering in the wind, the boat still advancing, 
so that she will not lose steerage-way ; thus enabling 
one to at once luff up nearer to the wind, or 
change the boat's position rapidly, should the wind, 
which is often the case, shift its direction suddenly. 

Nothing is of more importance than to keep 
steerage-way on the boat, as it is only in the ut- 



104 Practical Bo at- Sailing. 

most emergency that the sheet should be slacked 
wholly off, and the headway lost. 

If the boat is well under command when the 
squall is seen advancing, then the method of steer- 
ing into the wind's eye may be safely adopted, 
and is, in fact, the better and more seamanlike 
method. 

In small sail-boats on ponds, or arms of the sea, 
when a thunder- shower is coming up, — which can 
always be seen in time, — it is, as a rule, much the 
safest plan to take the boat as quickly as possible 
towards the nearest harbor or land, unless rocky, 
inaccessible, or dangerous ; in which case, furl all 
sail and let go an anchor, paying out such a scope 
of cable that the boat will ride easily. Then wait 
for the coming blast. 

However severe it may be, the thunder-gust can 
then do no harm. With an oar you can head the 
boat towards the coming blast, so that she will feel 
but litde of its force, and prevent the dragging of 
the anchor. 

Thunder-showers are particularly dangerous, how- 
ever, from the fact that they almost always make 
their way directly against the prevailing wind. 
When the two winds meet, and one finds one's self 
in the vortex between them, it is very difficult to 
command a boat. Each wind, 'fighting for the 
supremacy, will fill the sails with gusts", for which 
one does not more than have time to prepare before 



Practical Hints on Boat-Saiti?ig, 105 

a counter-gust will throw them aback, or violently 
to the opposite side of the boat. Often, in fact, 
the wind, blowing a gale all the time, will in less 
than five minutes have visited every point of the 
compass. , An anchor down and a furled sail are the 
best for all small, open, or half-decked boats or 
yachts in such an emergency. 

Boats are often capsized by persons on board 
suddenly scrambling to the windward, or upper 
side, when a squall buries the lee gunwale in the 
water. Should the boat at this moment be taken 
aback by a counter squall or flaw, she will almost 
surely capsize, for in one moment the windward 
side becomes the leeward side ; and the mass of 
weight hanging to what was, a moment before, the 
weather-side, will carry the boat over. It is too 
late to try and struggle back again : the bodies are 
all in the wrong position to be able to turn around 
inboard towards the centre of the boat. In their 
helpless postures they face the waves that are ready 
to devour them. 

The safest position in an open boat, when pre- 
paring for an approaching squall, is, for all except 
the helmsman, to sit down in the bottom of the 
boat, as near the centre as possible, thus being safe 
from any blows from the boom of the sail, and in- 
creasing the steadiness of the boat in a marked 
degree. Here they act as ballast, and do much 
good in keeping the boat upright. 



io6 Pi^actical Boat-Sailin 



i>' 



To the above knowledge should be added also 
the science of reefing the sails of a boat quickly 
and neatly, so that she will stand up under a great 
pressure of wind. 

The mistake most frequently made is to neglect 
to. reef till it is too late. Landsmen scarcely ever 
calculate how quickly wind moves, and how sud- 
denly a change in the weather takes place. It is 
easy to reef while there is time, but sometimes 
almost impossible if too long delayed. Reefing 
saves one from much anxiety. The boat that with 
her whole sail would be cranky and dangerous 
plunges along buoyantly thiough the summer gale 
when her sails are properly reefed. 

With a thorough knowledge of the sheet and 
rudder, and how to reef a sail, there ought to be 
no accidents, even in very small boats ; but the 
trouble is, that too many tyros are allowed to invite 
unsuspecting ladies and young girls into their boats, 
they not understanding the first rudiments of a real 
nautical knowledge, of how to manage a craft in 
times of danger. 

A boat is like a good horse, — it will always do 
the best it can. It will not capsize if it can help 
it ; but, if mismanaged in time of emergency, it is 
a dangerous plaything. Properly handled, it is 
^amazing, almost incredible, what can be done with 
a small open boat, with a common lug-sail, and 
what weather it will live through. 



Practical Hints on Boat-Sailing. 107 

But without knowledge, and knowing just what 
to do in dangerous times, this pleasant summer sail 
is a treacherous pastime. 



io8 Practical Boat-Sailing, 



CHAPTER VIII. 

A SHORT CRUISE WITH A SLOOP-YACHT, ILLUSTRATING 
THE COMMON SEA-MANCEUVRES. 

"Well, uncle Charley, when are you going to 
give me a sail in your yacht? You know, that, 
although I have sailed a little, I look forward with 
the greatest impatience to a trip with you ; so that 
I may become posted in all respects, and finally 
turn out a first-class sailor." 

" Your ambition is a worthy one, Tom ; and I am 
willing to gratify it. But it is yet very early in the 
season ; and I am afraid that we shall encounter 
some dirty weather, should we attempt now to make 
a trip." 

"Well, that is the very thing that I want to 
encounter," said Tom. "Besides, you have quite 
a large yacht, and every thing in apple-pie order ; 
whilst I only have a little bit of an open boat at my 
home, and really know but little of the science of 
boat-sailing, and nothing of the technical language 
or discii^line of a well-appointed vessel." 



A Short Cruise zvith a Sloop -Yacht. 109 

Thus spoke Tom Coffin, a young man of some 
seventeen years, who was on a visit to his uncle, 
Capt. Charles Coffin, a middle-aged retired sea- 
captain, who knew a vessel from her stem to her 
stern, and who retained his youthful passion for the 
water, and enjoyed himself thoroughly during the 
summer months in his beautiful yacht " Nancy 
Lee." 

" By the way, uncle Charley, you have not told 
me any thing yet about your yacht ; and you know 
I have never seen her. How large is she? " 

" She is about thirty feet over all," said his uncle. 

" How is she rigged ? Tell me all about her, 
uncle, won't you ? 

" Well, the ' Nancy Lee ' was built two years ago, 
and is what is called a ' centre-board sloop ; ' that 
is; she is shallow, and broad of beam, and is rigged 
as a sloop. She has a good comfortable cabin, and 
sound spars, and strong and durable canvas, and 
good ground-tackle, and I think she will compare 
favorably with any of her class. She is not so fast 
as some, being, as I said, of good beam, and her 
spars and sails are not too large for rough weather ; 
but I consider her a first-class boat for outside 
work, safe, strong, and easily managed." 

*' How many crew do you carry, uncle Charley? " 

" Well, as a general rule, I have only Bob Stevens 
with me, who made, if you remember, many voy- 
ages to sea with me, and is a true, able seaman 



no Practical Boat-Sailing. 

in every sense of the word. He usually keeps the 
* Nancy ' in order for me, and acts as ' cook and all 
hands ; ' although, when I am going on a cruise of 
a week or two, I usually take with me also Widow 
Tompkins's son, who is smart and active, and who, 
if he will only take a voyage round the Horn, will, 
I prophesy, yet turn out a good sailor. But you 
shall take his place." 

" Is the yacht all ready now? " 

" Oh, yes ! " replied uncle Charley. " She has 
been at her moorings the last two weeks. But I 
thought I would give you a day or two to get over 
your journey before speaking about a cruise ; but I 
see that young blood will not be restrained." 

" And have you every thing on board ready for a 
cruise ?" asked Tom. 

" Yes, every thing," replied his uncle ; " for, ' 
being an old sailor, I like to have every thing pre- 
pared. Now, on board the ' Nancy Lee ' you will 
find, I will be bound, every thing that is needful for 
a craft of her size ; such as compass, charts, signal- 
lights, barometer, lead-line, log, and all that is need- 
ful to handle her in a seamanlike manner in all 
weathers." 

"Well, uncle, when will you start? Have you 
provisions on board ? " 

" Every thing is on board ; and, as you have in- 
oculated me, I suppose we might as well get under 
way to-morrow morning on the young ebb : so take 



A Short Cruise with a Sloop -Yacht, iii 

yourself up aloft, young man, and '■ turn in,' and be 
prepared to turn out at about one bell in the morn- 
ing watch ; and I will go down to the landing, and 
see that Bob has every thing in ship-shape." 

" Come, rouse out, youngster ! it is past one 
bell," sang out the cheery voice of uncle Charley 
at Tom's door the next morning ; and hurrying on 
his clothes, arid taking a small valise filled with a 
change or two fit for sea-use, he was soon by his 
uncle's side. 

" Well, it is going to be a lovely morning, if it is 
only the loth of May," said Capt. Coffin. 

" Why, how do you know, uncle Charley ? It is 
as dark as pitch yet." 

"Well, my boy, when you are as old as I am, 
you will know how, by many signs, to forecast the 
weather, even in the night-time. But let us hurry 
along, and get on board, as I want to take advantage 
of this ebb to get outside before the flood makes." 

Arriving at the landing, the following conversa- 
tion took place : — 

" ' Nancy,' ahoy ! " 

" Ay, ay, sir ! " 

"Is that you, Bob?" 

"Yes, captain." 

" Come ashore in the tender, and set us on 
board ! " 

" Ay, ay, sir ! " 



112 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

The small boat soon reached the landing ; and 
our friends were soon alongside the " Nancy Lee," 
and quickly on board. 

" Now, Bob," said Capt. Coffin, " have you got 
hot coffee and biscuit ready? " 

" Yes, captain, all ready, and humming hot on the 
stove." 

" Well, then, we will go below. Bob, and you can 
serve it in the cabin ; for it is well to get something 
hot down before facing this damp morning air." 

After each had drunk a good hot mug of strong 
coffee without milk, and eaten a good large sea- 
biscuit, Capt. Coffin and Tom appeared again on 
deck, and preparations were made to get under 
way. 

"Have you got the stops off of the mainsail, 
Bob?" 

" Yes, captain : they are all off." 

"Then go forward, you two," said Capt. Coffi-n, 
" and hoist away the mainsail. You take the peak- 
halHards, Tom ; and you the throat. Bod. That's 
the way ! Up she goes ! [Cheerily.] Avast, 
there, Tom ! you are hoisting too fast on the peak, 
and have jammed the hoops round the mast, so that 
Bob can't get an inch on the throat-halliards. Slack 
away a little ! Handsomely : there, that will do ! 
Now hoist away. Belay the peak-halliards ! Now 
go over and take in the slack, whilst Bob swigs 
off on the throat- halliards : that will do. Belay ! 



A Short Cruise with a Sloop -Yacht. 113 

Now over to the peak, and stand by to peak it up, 
whilst I let go the main-sheet, and lift up the main- 
boom. So ! That will do. Belay ! Now coil the 
halliards down snug, and lay aft here, Tom, and 
tend the jib-sheet. — Are the gaskets off the jib. 
Bob?" 

"Ay, ay, sir! All off!" 

"Then let go your downhaul, and run her up ! 

" Now, Torn, I want to cast to starboard ; and, as 
the yacht is now lying head to wind, when Bob has 
the jib up, 1 want you to trim down flat on the port 
jib-sheet, and hold on till I tell you to let go. — Now, 
Bob, is that jib chock up? " 

" Yes, captain." 

" All right, then ; slip your moorings, and let her 
slide ! Haul aft the port jib-sheet, Tom*; and lay 
aft here. Bob, and help shove this boom out to star- 
board, whilst I put the helm to port. There, she 
pays off all right ! Down with the centre-board. 
Bob \ — Let go the jib-sheet, and trim down to star- 
board, Tom ! That will do. Belay ! 

" There ! Don't , she move through the water 
well? Just a nice working-breeze. And see the 
glimmer of the breaking day over there to the east- 
ward ! I wonder if we can fetch by Rouse's Point 
without going about. I fear not ; but we shall see 
long before we get there. There is plenty of time. 

" Now, Tom, do you see that little light on shore, 
just forward of the weather fore-rigging? Come 
and stand just where I am, and see if you see it." 



114 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

"Yes, uncle, I see it all right." 

"Well, take the helm, and keep her just as she 
goes, with that -light cutting the weather-rigging, as 
a course. She steers like a pilot-boat, and you will 
have no trouble. — Bob, keep a good lookout there 
forward, whilst I go below to have a look at the 
chart." 

" Ay, ay, sir ! " 

" Now, Tom, I have looked carefully at the chart, 
and I know this harbor well ; but the wind is so 
scant, that I am afraid that we shall not be able to 
lie by Rouse's Point without going about ; and I had 
rather do it now than when we get farther down, 
and nearer to the point, for there are some bad 
rocks make off : so I think that we will go about 
to make all sure. 

" Ready about ! 

" Come aft, Bob," and tend the lee jib-sheet ! — And 
you look out for the weather one, Tom ! All ready ! 
Hard a-lee ! Let go the jib-sheet ! Avast haul- 
ing, Tom : you are too quick ! — Trim down. Bob ! 
— Now let draw, and trim down flat, Tom, and 
belay ! There, she begins to trot again ! We can't 
stand very far in this direction ; for we are crossing 
the channel at about right angles, and it is not more 
than a mile and a half wide hereabouts; and I 
don't want to be picked up by any of these flats on 
an ebb tide, and don't mean to ; and yet I want to 
stand over just as far as I can, so as to clear Rouse's 



A Short C^'iiise with a Sloop -Yacht. 115 

Point on the next tack. There comes the daylight 
at last ! Is it not a beautiful sight, Tom ? — Come, 
Bob, jump below, and get up the hand lead, and 
give us a few casts from the weather-rigging. 

"Are you all ready?" 

^•' Ay, ay, sir ! " 

"Then cast." 

Bob. — - And a quarter less five. 

" That is plenty of water ; isn't it, Tom ? But then 
you can't be too careful, and there is nothing like 
the lead. We only draw eight feet and a half with 
the centre-board down, and only three and a half 
with it up : so we have httle to fear yet. Keep cast- 
ing. Bob ! " 

Bob. — By the deep, four ! 

"There, you see Tom, we have already com- 
menced to shoal our water." 

Bob. — And a quarter less three ! 

" Still shoaling, and pretty fast too." 

Bob. — And by the mark, two ! 

" We are getting well over, Tom ; but we will 
have a cast or two more from Bob." 

Bob. — And a quarter less two ! 

Bob. — And a half one ! 

" Ready about ! 

" Hard a-lee ! 

" There, Tom, you did better with your jib-sheet 
that time, and did not try to haul it over too quick, 
and before Bob had trimmed it down again to make 
her pay off. 



ii6 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

" See, Tom, the day is breaking fast, and there is 
Rouse's Point well on our lee. If the wind holds, 
we shall not have the slightest difficulty in passing 
it on this tack. And now, as we are going to make 
a long leg, we will let Bob go below and get break- 
fast ready. Do you think you can eat any thing, 
Tom?" 

" Yes, uncle, I think I can ; but this is just splen- 
did. But tell me, why do you trim down the jib 
again on the same side, after letting it go? Would 
not the yacht come about without it?" 

" Yes, she would," replied Capt. Coffin, " easily ; 
but I wanted you to see how a craft should be put 
about in a seamanlike manner, and how she would 
*have to be put about in heavy weather. It is well 
to know how to do a thing well, and what will be 
necessary in times of emergency." 

" Thank you, uncle : I shall remember. Is it not 
a lovely morning, and how nicely we are slipping 
along ! I think I could eat a piece of whale's 
blubber, I am so hungry." 

"Are you, Tom? Well, so am I. But here 
comes Bob up the companion-way, to say that 
breakfast is ready. 

" Now, Bob, keep her full and by ; and, if she 
breaks off any, call me at once, for we shall have to 
go about again. 

" Let's get below, Tom, and get our breakfast ; 
for I must not be long below till we get well out- 
side. 



A Short Cruise with a Sloop - Yacht. 117 

" Is this not a snug little cabin ? and haven't I 
got things handy around me ? I like to have things 
where I can put my hand upon them quickly. 

" If you have finished, we will go on deck again. 

"Well, Bob, has she held her course?" 

"I don't believe she has changed it a pint, 
Capt. Coffin." 

"Well, go below and get your breakfast, and 
clear things up. We will look out for her. In an 
hour or two we shall be out in the sound all clear." 

" See, uncle, how we have gained upon that fish- 
ing-schooner ! Are we not going to pass too near 
him? He evidently is beating out as well as we." 

"You are right, Tom. If we should keep on, 
there would be a collision ; but as we are on the 
port-tack, and the fishing-schooner on the starboard- 
tack, and both of us close-hauled, he has the right 
of way ; and it is therefore for that reason that I 
gracefully ease off the main-sheet, as you see, and 
keep her off, so as to pass under his stern, whilst he 
passes saucily on his course and to windward. But 
it is his right, and we must not hesitate. When we 
are on the starboard-tack, we will demand our rights 
just as strongly." 

" I am afraid after all, uncle Charley, that it is 
going to be rough ; is it not ? The day is not as 
pleasant as it was an hour ago, and it seems kind 
of overcast and cloudy to windward." 

" Yes, Tom : the weather does look a little dirty 



ii8 Pi'actical Boat-Sailing. 

to windward, but nothing to speak of; but, as you 
started to see some fun, I hope thafyou will see it." 

" How far do you call us now from the land? " 

"Well, I should say that we were a good ten 
miles from the southern light. I can tell you 
exactly by cross-bearings, if you really want to 
know very much." 

" No, uncle, I do not care enough to give you 
that trouble ; and, besides, I only wanted to know 
about how far off you estimated it. We must be 
going through the water pretty fast, as she is well 
heeled over." 

" Yes, she is jumping along now, and the wind 
and sea are both getting up fast. I think that I 
shall take in a reef. 

" Never be ashamed, Tom, of reefing early : it is 
a simple matter if undertaken in time ; but, if neg- 
lected too long, is a difficult, and at times a dan- 
gerous job. 

" In the first place, you and Bob get hold of that 
tender, and draw her up on the lee-side, and get 
her aboard forward, where she belongs, and lash 
her down. Don't get overboard ! 

" Be careful of the rail. Bob : don't chafe it. 
Now lash her down snug, and, as soon as you are 
ready, man the jib-halliards and downhaul. All 
ready?" 

"Ay, ay, sir ! " 

"Then let go the jib-halHards. Down with it, 



A Short Cruise witJi a S/oop- Yacht. 119 

Bob ! — Lend a hand on the downhaul, Tom ! 
There, that will do ! Make fast ! 

" Stand by the throat and peak halliards ! lower 
away ! That will do. Well of all. Belay ! Come, 
lay aft here, and bowse out on this reef-pennant ! 
That will do ! Lay out on the boom, Bob, and pass 
this earing! All fast?" 

"All fast, sir." 

" Then come in and get another earing for the 
luff, Bob, and hurry up ! 

" That's the talk ; make fast ! Now tackle the 
reef-points, and knot as fast as you can. Now lay 
forward, and off with the bonnet, off the jib ! And 
sing out when you are ready. 

" Now lay aft, and hoist up the mainsail ! That 
will do. Belay ! Now up with the jib ! 

' " There, off we go upon our course again. Do you 
see how much better she stands up to it, Tom ? and 
how much better weather we are making? I don't 
like the looks of things to windward, however ; and 
I guess that we will square away for a harbor that 
I know on the other side of the sound, unless you 
would like to heave to out here, and ride it out. 
But we should make nothing by that, and we may 
as well get in smoother water as to jump about 
here ; for it is coming on to blow fresh, if I know 
any thing about weather. My barometer is falling 
too, which is also a warning sign. 

" Here comes an extra puff, rather more than we 



I20 Practical Bo at- Sailing. 



can stand even witli this reef in ; but you see, by 
shaking her up into the wind, I have allowed all its 
force to pass us without damage. 

" Well, I think that we have had enough of this : 
it is cold, and the water that we are taking on 
board will soon chill us more. Here goes for 
squaring away before it ! 

" Stand by the main-sheet and jib-halHards ! 

" Ease away on the main-sheet, Tom ! hand- 
somely ! Keep a good turn ! Don't let it get 
away with you. That will do ! — Ease off the jib- 
sheet, Bob! Make fast!" 

"All fast, sir!" 

" Why, uncle Charley, what a change ! I should 
think there was scarcely any wind at all." 

" Yes, that is a most common impression when 
a craft is kept off before the wind after pounding 
into it ; but you should not be deceived. Now is 
the time that you must pay great attention to the 
helm ; for the waves lift the stern so far out of the 
water, that the rudder acts, as you see, in an irreg- 
ular and unequal manner, causing me to meet her 
as she yaws with a quick movement of the helm. 
T don't like the looks of the weather at all. 

" Look out ! Hold on, everybody ! There, 
that sea has pooped us, and we are all afloat ! This 
will never do. 

" Stand by to haul aft the main-sheet ! We 
must shake out this reef. Bob, if it is blowing fresh. 



A Short Cruise with a Sloop -Yacht. t2t 

so as to go faster before the wind, and not get 
pooped again." 

[The reef is shaken out, and the yacht again 
kept away.] 

" There, Tom ! see how she runs away from 
those large seas, now ! No more danger of their 
coming on board again. 

"You see, the tide was against us, and the wind 
astern ; and the ' Nancy ' moved too slowly forward 
to escape those big fellows. This is one of the 
times that it is good seamanship to clap on more 
sail, although the sea is getting up. If we should 
haul on a wind now, we should need two reefs in ; 
but, running before it, she is doing very well. 

"There is the headland that we shall have to 
leave on the port-side. Do you see it, Tom? We 
shall have to jibe before we can run in, and that is 
a manoeuvre that must be nicely executed in such a 
sea-way as this. But we shall execute it all right, 
as you shall see. 

" Lay aft here. Bob, and stand by the peak-hall- 
iards ! Let go ! That will do. Belay ! Now 
clap on this main-sheet, and get it aft, steadily. 
Round it in ! 

" Keep a good turn at the cleat ! Don't let the 
boom get away with you ! Now slack the lee jib- 
sheet off, so that the jib can work itself Now 
look out for the jerk when the boom goes over, 
and stand by to slack the sheet at once. Hand- 



122 Practical Bodt-Sailing. 

somely done ! Slack away the main-sheet ! Be- 
lay ! There, that is a good job ! 

" Go forward, Bob, and stock the second anchor ; 
and bend on the cable, and have it all ready for 
anchoring ; for we shall not find very much lee in 
this harbor till the wind shifts. But there is good 
holding-ground, and we shall be all right. 

"As soon as we pass that lighthouse, Tom, and 
get in the bight of the bay you see ahead on the 
starboard-side, I shall round her to, and let go the 
anchors. There are two fishermen at anchor there 
now. Do you see them ? " 

" Yes, uncle, I see them ; and they seem to be 
laboring pretty heavy." 

'^ Yes. That is because they are loaded deep ; 
but we shall ride like a bird. 

'' Haul down the jib, and stow it ! Lend Bob a 
hand, Tom. Now come aft here ! 

" Stand by the anchor, Bob ! " 

"Ay, ay, sir ! " 

" Now you see, Tom, how I round her up under 
the stern of this fisherman, and bring her head to 
wind. 

" Let go the anchor ! " 

" All gone." 

" Don't check her too quick. Bob ! Pay out ! 
pay out ! Now snub her, but not too sharp. Does 
she hold?" 

" Yes, sir. She has brought up." 



A Short Cruise with a Sloop -Yacht. 123 

"Then let go the second anchor, and pay out 
on both. Give your cables plenty of scope. 
That will do. Make every thing fast. 

"I can see by the land that she does not drag. 
But jump, below, Bob, and hand me up the hand 
lead, that I may throw it over the side, and see 
that she is holding all right. 

"There, Tom ! don't she ride easily? 

" Now dovvn mainsail, and stow it, before it is 
slatted to pieces by the wind, and lash the helm 
amidships. We shall ride here like a Mother 
Carey's chicken. 

" Now let's sound the pumps, and then we will 
go below, and take things easy till this wind moder- 
ates ; have some good, hot dinner ; and then we 
will proceed upon our cruise. Well, Tom, do you 
tfiink )^ou have smelt salt water, boy?" 

" Yes, uncle ; but I like it, though, and the way 
you manage, in spite of the elements. We have 
not started a rope-yarn, and are lying here as snug 
as a bug in a rug." 

And thus we will leave them, wishing them good 
weather, and a pleasant ending to their cruise. 



124 Practical Bo at- Sailing. 



CHAPTER IX. 

VOCABULARY OF SEA-TERMS COMMONLY IN USE. 

Aback. — A sail is said to be taken aback, when 
its forward surface is acted upon by the wind. 

Abaft. — The position, towards the stem, or 
hinder part of the yacht, from any stated point ; as, 
"abaft the forecastle," "abaft the mainmast," 
"abaft the cabin." 

Abeam. — Any object is said to be abeam that 
bears at right angles to the line of the keel ; and an 
imaginary line drawn at right angles across the keel, 
equidistant from the bow and stern, divides the 
yacht into two parts. Any thing bearing forward of 
this line is said to be " forward of the beam," and 
any thing bearing behind this line is said to be 
" abaft the beam." 

Aboard. — In the yacht; as, "Get the anchor 
aboard ! " " Come aboard ! " 

About. — A yacht is said to "go about" when 
tacking, the order to prepare for which" is, " Ready 
about ! " 



Vocabulary of Sea -Terms. 125 

Abreast. — Opposite to, as relates to the sides 
of a yacht; as, abreast of a hghthouse, when the 
side of the yacht is at right angles to it, or nearly so. 

Adrift. — Broken loose from moorings ; or any 
thing rolHng about the decks loose in a sea-way is 
said to have broken adrift. 

Afloat. — Clear of the bottom, sustained by 
the water. 

Afore — That part of the yacht nearest to the 
stem, or head. 

Aft. — Behind; as, "Stand further aft," "Haul 
aft the main-sheet ! " i.e , brmg the boom nearer the 
line of the keel. 

After. — Hinder, as after- sails, such as the main- 
sail, in contra- distinction to forward- sails, such as 
the jib. 

Aground —Not having water enough for the 
yacht, which rests on the ground. 

Ahead. — Before the yacht; any thing in ad- 
vance of where the yacht is being directed. 

A-lee. — The helm is a-lee when the tiller is put 
to the lee-side ; " hard a-lee," when it is put over' 
as far as it will go." 

All in the Wind. — When the sails receive a 
portion of the wind on both surfaces, and shake or 
wave like a flag. 

All Hands, Ahoy. — A summons used to call 
all the crew on deck in an emergency. 

Aloft. — Up above, at the masthead. 



126 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

Alongside. — Close to the side of the yacht. 

Amidships. — Any thing in a hne with the keel; 
viz., " Put the helm amidships ! " 

To Anchor. — To let the anchor fall overboard 
that it may hold the yacht ; the order for which is 
" Let go the anchor ! " 

Anchorage. — Ground fit to anchor on. 

To Weigh the Anchor. — To heave it up from 
the bottom to the bow of the yacht. 
■ Ashore. — On land, aground. 

Astern. — Behind the yacht. 

Athwart. — Across. 

Athwart-Ships. — Any thing lying at right angles 
to the line of the keel, or nearly so. 

Avast. — To cease pulling, to stop. 

A-WEATHER — The helm is said to be a-weather 
v/hen the tiller is put over to the windward side of 
the yacht; and "hard a-weather," when it is put 
over as far as it will go. 

Awning. — A canvas covering stretched overhead, 
to give protection from the heat of the sun. 

Back-Stays. — Ropes fixed at the topmasthead, 
and fastened to the sides of the yacht to sustain 
the topmast. 

Ballast. — A quantity of heavy material placed 
in the hold of the yacht to give her proper stability. 

Bands. — Pieces of canvas sewn across a sail to 
strengthen it to sustain the reef-points, and called 
reef-bands. 



Vocabulary of Sea-Terms. 127 

Bar. — A shoal, usually found at the mouths of 
rivers and harbors that are subject to much current. 

Bare Poles. — Having no sail up, on account 
of the severity of the wind : hence " scudding 
under bare poles," that is, running before the wind 
with no sail set. 

Beams. — Pieces of timber across the yacht under 
the decks, bound to the sides by knees. A yacht 
is said to be XDn her " beam-ends " when she is hove 
down by any force, so that the ends of the beams 
point towards the ground. 

Forward of the Beam. — When the object or 
wind is at some position between abeam and ahead. 

Before the Beam. — When the -wind or object 
bears on some point forward of the beam, but with- 
in the right angle formed by the keel and a line 
across the middle of the yacht. 

Abaft the Beaai. — The opposite to Before the 
Beam. 

Bearings. — The direction of any object by ob- 
servation of the compass ; also to any object, as 
the lighthouse bears abaft the beam. 

Beating to Windward. — Advancing in the di- 
rection from which the wind proceeds by a series 
of manoeuvres called "tacking." 

Becalmed. — Having no wind to fill the sails. 
One sail is also said to becalm another when the 
wind is aft. 

Belay. — To make fast a rope around a cleat or 
pin. 



128 Practical Bo at- Sailing. 

To Bend. — To fasten ; as to bend the sails, bend 
on the hawser to the anchor, bend on the colors, 
&c. 

Bight. — Any slack part of a rope between the 
ends. 

Bilge. — The flat part of a yacht's bottom, where 
the water that she ships, or which leaks in, remains, 
and is called "bilge -water." 

Binnacle. — A box, fitted with lights, which 
contains the steering-compass. 

Berth. — An anchorage ; a bunk or wooden shelf 
used for sleeping in. 

BiTTS. — Large, upright pieces of timber, with a 
cross-piece, to which hawsers or large ropes are 
belayed ; also called " knight-heads." 

Blocks. — Instruments, with sheaves or pulleys, 
used to increase the power of ropes. 

Block and Block (also called commonly " chock- 
a-block "). — When the two blocks of a tackle have 
been brought as near together as possible. 

To Make a Board. — To tack. 

To Make a Stern-Board. — To move through 
the water stern foremost. 

Bob-Stays. — Ropes from the cut-water, or stem, 
to the bowsprit end, to sustain and strengthen it. 

Bolt-Ropes. — Ropes sewn round the edges of 
the sails, to keep them from splitting. 

Booms. — Round pieces of timber on which the 
foot of sails are lashed. 



Vocabulary of Sea-Terms. 129 

Bows. — The round part of the yacht forward, 
ending in the cut-water, or stem. 

To Bouse. — To haul upon. 

Bowsprit. — A spar nearly parallel with the deck, 
extending out over the stem. 

To Bring Up. — To take the bottom suddenly, 
as brought up by a shoal ; to come to an anchor. 

To Bring To. — To make the yacht nearly sta- 
tionary by stopping her headway by means of the 
sails set in different positions, so as to counterpoise 
each other in connection with the helm. 

Butt End. — The end of a plank in a yacht's 
side ; to start a butt, i.e., to leak. 

By the Board. — A mast is said to go by the 
board when carried away just above the deck. 

By the Head. — When a yacht is deeper in 
tke water forward than aft. 

By the Stern. — The reverse of "by the head." 

By the Wind. — When a yacht is as near the 
wind as she can be sailed without the sails shaking ; 
also called "full and by." 

Cable. — The rope by which the yacht is secured 
to the anchor. 

To Pay out the Cable. — To allow more of it 
to pass outboard, so that the yacht lies farther from 
the anchor. 

Caboose. — Place where the food is cooked ; also 
called the " cook's galley." 

Call. — A silver whistle used by the boatswain 
to have certain orders obeyed. 



130 Practical Boat- Sailing. 

Capsize. — To turn over. 

To Carry Away. — A spar is said to be carried 
away when it is broken by the wind. 

To Cast Off. — To untie, to allow to go free ; 
viz., " Cast off the main-sheet ! " " Cast off that 
boat's painter ! " 

Casting. — To pay a yacht off on the desired 
tack when weighing the anchor, by arranging the 
sails so as to be taken aback. 

Cat Boat-Rig. — A yacht rigged with one mast 
placed chock forward in the eyes, and without stays 
or bowsprit, and fitted with one fore-and-aft sail. 

Cat's-Paw. — A hght breeze or puff of air seen 
upon the water. 

To Calk. — To drive oakum or cotton into the 
seams to prevent leaking, and to " pay " the same 
with pitch or tar. 

Centre-Board. — A movable keel that can be 
lowered or hoisted at pleasure. 

To Claw off. — To beat to windward from off 
a lee-shore. 

Cleat. — A piece of wood with two horns, fast- 
ened to the side of the yacht or to the mast, upon 
which ropes are made fast. 

Clews. — The corners of sails. 

Close- Hauled. — To sail as near the wind as 
possible. 

Coiling. — To gather up a rope into a circular 
form ready for running out again at a moment's 



Vocabulary of Sea-Terfns. 131 

notice ; such as, " Coil up the peak-halliards, and 
have them ready for running ! " 

Course. — The point of the compass on which 
the yacht sails. 

Cross- Bearings. — The finding of the exact 
position of the yacht upon the chart by taking the 
bearings by compass of two objects on shore. 

Crotch. — Two crossed pieces of wood in which 
the main boom is lashed, when the yacht is at an- 
chor and the sail furled, to confine it in place. 

To Cun. — To direct the helmsman how to steer. 

Cut- Water. — The timber forming the entrance 
of the yacht. 

Boat- Davits. — Pieces of strong, bent iron stand- 
ing out over the side to hoist boats up to, and secure 
them. 

DowNHAUL. — A rope used to pull down the jib, 
&c. 

Draught. — Depth of water. Thus it is said of 
a yacht that her draught is three feet; i.e., she 
draws three feet of water. 

Drift. — To drive to leeward ; becalmed and 
drifting. 

Earings. — Small ropes used for lashings. 

Ease Off. — To slacken. 

Ease off Handsomely. — To slacken very care- 
fully. 

End for End. — To change a rope that has 
been worn, and use one part where the other was 
formerly used. 



132 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

End On. — To advance bow or stern on, or to 
have another vessel approach in a similar manner. 

Ensign. — The national flag, carried always at 
the gaff- end. 

Fag-End. — The end of a rope which is frayed. 

Falling Off. — When a yacht m.oves from the 
wind farther than she ought. 

Fathom. — A measurement six feet in length. 

Fid. — A tapered piece of wood used to splice 
ropes with, and, when made of iron, called a " mar- 
hne-spike." 

To Fill. — To have the wind strike the inner or 
after surfaces of the sails. 

Flake. — One circle of a coil of rope. 

Flukes. — The broad spade-like parts of an 
anchor. 

Fore. — That part of the yacht nearest to the 
head. 

Fore and Aft. — In the direction of the keel ; 
also vessels without square yards. Hence a schoon- 
er is often called a " fore-and-after ; " and a ship, a 
"square-rigger." 
. Foul Hawse. — When the cables are twisted. 

To Foul. — To entangle a rope; as, "The jib- 
halliards are foul. To run foul of a yacht is to 
come in collision with another. 

To Founder. — To sink. 

Furling. — Making the sails fast to the booms 
and spars, and stowing them, by means of gaskets. 



Vocabulary of Sea-Tei-ms. 133 

Gaff. — The spar that supports the head of a 
fore-and-aft sail. 

Gangway. — The place where persons come on 
board. 

Gasket. — A piece of rope or narrow canvas 
used to tie up sails with, or lash any thing. 

To Go About. — To* tack. 

Goring. — Cutting a sail obliquely. 

Granny- I^NOT. — A foul knot, — one not tied in 
a proper manner. 

Griping. — When a yacht carries too great a 
weather-helm. 

Halliards. — Ropes or pulleys to hoist up sails. 

Hands. — The crew ; i.e., " Send a hand aft 
here ! " " All hands," all the crew. To " hand a 
sail," to furl it. "Bear a hand," hurry up to help. 
'Hand lead, instrument used for sounding. 

Handsomely. — Carefully. 

Hanks. — Oval rings, fitted to work upon stays, 
to which the sail is lashed to be hoisted or lowered. 

Hatchway. — A square hole in the deck that 
communicates with the hold. 

To Haul. — To pull. 

To Hail. — To call out to another ship ; such 
as "What ship is that? " 

To Heel. — To incline to one side; i.e., she 
heels over too much on account of a want of bal- 
last. 

Helm. — A tiller or wheel which controls the 
rudder. 



134 Practical Bo at- Sailing. 

To Haul Home. — To pull the clew of any sail 
as far as it will go. 

Too High. — The warning given to the helms- 
man when the yacht is too. near the wind. 

To Hitch. — To make fast. 

The Hold. — The space under deck. 

Hull. — The body of a yacht. 

" In Irons." — A yacht is said to be '^ in irons " 
when she has lost steerage way from any cause, and 
will not obey the helm. 

Jack-Stay. — A small bar of iron, or slat of wood, 
fastened to a spar, and to which the sail is bent. 

To Jam. — A knot is said to be jammed when it 
cannot be untied. 

Junk. — Old pieces of rope, canvas, &c. 

Jury-Masts. — Temporary masts used when 
others are carried away. 

Jibing. — The act of passing the main-boom 
from one side of the yacht to the other, whilst run- 
ning before the wind. 

Keel. — That part of the yacht lowest in the 
water, and upon which all her superstructure, is 
erected. 

Kink. — A twist or turn in the rope. 

To Labor. — A yacht is said to labor when she 
pitches and rolls heavily in a sea-way. 

Land-Fall. — Discovering the land. 

Larboard. — The left side of the yacht, facing 
forward, now almost obsolete, port having almost 



Vocabulary of Sea-Terms. 135 

wholly taken its place ; larboard having been 
found in practice to be too near in sound to its 
opposite starboard. 

Lay Aft. — The command to come aft. "Lay 
aloft," to go up the rigging. " Lay out/' to go out, 
on the bowsprit, for instance. "Lay in," to come 
in." 

Leach. — ^^The perpendicular border of a fore- 
and-aft sail.' 

Lee- Lurch. — When the yacht rolls heavily and 
suddenly to leeward. 

Lee-Shore. — The coast-line to leeward of the 
yacht, on which the wind is blowing. 

Leeward. — The direction towards which the 
wind is blowing. 

Long Leg. — A term used when the wind is not 
dead ahead, but so as to cause the yacht to make a 
long tack and a short one. Hence, to make " a long 
leg," and a short leg. 

Log. — The record of the yacht's performance 
each day of twenty-four hours, as concerns weather, 
gourses, &c., kept in a log-book. "Heaving the 
log," to ascertain the speed by means of a log- 
line. 

Looming. — The appearance of a distant object, 
such as another vessel, or the land, especially in 
foggy or misty weather, when it is said to loom, i.e., 
look larger, and appear nearer, than it really is. 

Lubber. — A person who is not a sailor, — a 
greenhorn. 



136 Practical Bo at- Sailing. 

Luff. - — An order to have the hehiisman put the 
helm to leeward ; the forward part of a fore-and-aft 
sail attached to the mast by hoops. 

Lying To. — Bringing the yacht to the wind 
under small sail, and lashing the helm a-lee, so that 
she may lie safely, and ride out the storm. 

To Moor. — To secure the yacht by more than 
one anchor. 

Moorings. — The place where the yacht is gen- 
erally kept when in harbor, and denoted by a buoy, 
which watches over them. 

Neap-Tides. — Those tides which occur when 
the moon is in her quarters ; spring-tides being 
much higher, and occurring at the full and change. 

Too Near. — A warning to the helmsman that 
the sails are not quite full, and that he is steering a 
little too near the wind. 

Main Chains. — Place on the yacht's side where 
the shrouds and backstays are fastened. 

Miss-Stays. — The act of faihng to "go about" 
on the other tack. 

Model. — The shape and form of the hull. 

Off and On. — Approaching the land on one 
tack, and leaving it on the other. 

Offing. — Out to sea, clear of all dangers, yet 
near the land ; sea-room. 

Overboard. — Out of the yacht ; in the water. 

Overhauling. — To haul a rope through a block ; 
to examine any thing thoroughly ; to gain upon a 
vessel or object ahead. 



Vocabulary of Sea-Terms. 137 

Painter. — A short rope in the bows of a boat 
by which she is secured. 

To Part.- — To tear asunder; i.e., the cable has 
parted ; the main-sheet has parted. 

To Pass a Lashing. — To wind a rope round a 
spar or sail. 

Pay. — To rub on pitch or tar with a large brush. 

To Pay Off. — To make a yacht's head recede 
from the wind by hauling the jib to windward, and 
easing off the main-boom to leeward. 

To Peak Up. — To elevate the outer or after end 
of a gaff, so that the sail may set better. 

Plying. — Turning to windward. 

Pooping. — A yacht is said to be pooped when 
she is struck by a sea that comes on board over 
the stern or quarter. 

Port. — See larboard. 

Preventer. — Any thing to secure or take off the 
strain, as preventer jib-sheet. 

Pennant. — A long narrow flag. 

Quarter. — That part of the yacht's side con- 
tained between the beam and stern. 

Rake. — The sheer of masts from the perpendic- 
ular. 

Range of Cable. — A sufficient length over- 
hauled and ready so as to allow the anchor to reach 
the bottom without fouling. 

To Reef. — To reduce a sail by fastening it down 
to a boom or jack-stay by means of reef-points. 



138 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

To Reeve. — To pass a rope through a block. 

To Ride. — To be held at anchor. 

To Right. — A yacht is said to right when she 
rises to an upright position again, after having been 
thrown on her beam-ends by a sudden squall. 

To Right the Helm. — To put it amidships, so 
that the rudder will be in a line with the keel. 

To Run Down. — When one yacht sinks another 
by running over her. 

Scant. — The wind is said to be scant when a 
yacht will barely lay her course. 

Scope. — To pay out more of the cable when at 
anchor. 

To Scud. — To run before the wind in a storm. 

To Scuttle. — To make holes in a yacht's bot- 
tom to sink her. 

To Serve. — To wind any thing round a rope so 
as to save it from chafing. 

To Seize. — To make fast or bind. 

To Sheer. — To vary to the right and left from 
a direct course. 

To Ship. — To place or receive any thing on 
board ; as, to ship a sea, to ship a crew. 

To Shiver. — To make the sails shake in the 
wind's eye. 

Shoal. — The land beneath the water that ap- 
proaches near the surface, or is left bare at low 
water. 

The Slack of a Rope.- — The part that hangs 
loose. 



Vocabulary of Sea-Terms. 139 

To Slip a Cable. —To let it run out overboard, 
and release the yacht from the anchor, being first 
generally buoyed so as to be recovered. 

To Slue. — 1 o turn any thing about. 

Snub.— -Used in reference to the cables, in 
checking the yacht, after they have been paid 

out. 

To Sound'.— To ascertain the depth of water by 

means of a lead-hne. 

To Take a Spell. — To reUeve any one at any 
duty ; as, to take a spell at the wheel. 

To Spill. — To take the wind out of a sail by 
easing off the sheets or otherwise, so as to remove 
the pressure of the wind. 

To Splice.— To join two ropes together by in- 
terweaving the strands. 

To Spring a Mast. — To crack or split it. 
A Spring. — A rope made fast to the cable, and 
taken on board aft, in order to haul the yacht's side 
in any direction. 

Spring-Tides.— The highest tides, which occur 
at the full and change of the moon. 

To Stand On. — To keep on in one's course. 
To Stand By. — To be ready. 
Starboard. — The right side of a yacht, the ob- 
server looking from aft forward. 

To Steer. — To control the yacht with the rud- 
der and tiller. 

Stranded. — A yacht is said to be stranded when 
she is so far on shore that she cannot be floated. 



140 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

To Strike. — To beat against the bottom; to 
hit suddenly any object below the surface of the 
water. 

Swig Off. — To take a turn with a rope at a cleat, 
and then pull upon it laterally, so as to gather in all 
the slack. 

To Tack. — To advance by a series of angles 
toward the direction from which the wind pro- 
ceeds. 

Taut. — Tight. 

Taunt. — Long, lofty. 

Tender. — A small boat or wherry used to pass 
from the yacht to the shore. 

To Tow. — To drag any thing astern behind the 
yacht ; as, to tow the tender. 

Truck. — The small ball at the topmasthead, 
through which the signal-halliards reeve. 

Trough of the "Sea. — The level of the water 
between two waves. 

Turning to Windward. — Tacking. 

Unbend. — To cast off, to release \ as, " Unbend 
the anchor from the cable ! " " Unbend the main- 
sail ! " — roll it up and put it below. 

To Unship. — To take any thing from the place 
where it was fixed ; as, to " unship the rudder." 

Wake. — The track, or furrow, left by the yacht 
on the water she has passed over. 

To Wear. — To turn a yacht round from the 
wind, — the direct opposite of tacking. 



Vocabulary of Sea- Terms. 141 

To Warp. — To move a yacht by hawsers. 

Watch. — A division of the crew into starboard 
and larboard watch, who take turns in taking care 
of the yacht. 

Water-Logged. — The condition of a yacht 
when she is so full of water as to be almost unman- 
ageable, and nearly submerged. 

Way. — Progress through the water : " she has 
good way on." To a boat's crew, to cease pulHng, 
the command is given, "Way enough." 

To Weather a Yacht. — To get to the wind- 
ward side by faster speed, or lying nearer the 
wind. 

Weather Beaten. — Worn by the weather and 
exposure. 

Wet-l of All. — A command used when the 
several ropes of a sail have all been hauled upon at 
the same time, and it is perfectly set, and means to 
belay. 

To Weigh. — To lift an anchor from the bot- 
tom. 

Wind's Eye. — The exact direction from which 
the wind proceeds. 

To Windward. — Towards that point from which 
the wind blows. 

To Work to Windward. — To tack so as to 
make progress in the direction from which the wind 
blows. 



142 Practical Boat-Sailing. 

Yacht. — A vessel used for pleasure only, and 
not for commerce or trade; built for speed and 
comfort. 

To Yaw. — To swerve suddenly and violently 
from the true course, in spite of the action of the 
rudder. 



Franklin Press: Rand, Avery, <Sr» Co., Boston. 






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